To Fill The Void
by Yuri Tora
Summary: Her first love was Uchiha Itachi… but he had left in a sea of blood, breaking her heart without any warning. Now she is empty. Nothing but a shell remains. -(Rated M for a reason. Contains lemons. Multiple pairings with one OC.)-
1. Chapter 1: Nightmares

Chapter 1: Nightmares

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><p><em>I heard screams in the distance, and I ran… only to find disaster. Bloodied, broken bodies lay haphazardly strewn on the ground, tossed to rot in pools of their own blood. Moonlight reflected off of dead eyes in the eeriest of ways. Tossing my terror to the back of my mind, I searched for him, the one that meant more than anything to me in this world… Where was he? I passed building after building, ran through street after street, with only more corpses to be found. Finally, there was life.<em>

_"Sasuke!" I screamed, relieved that he was standing._

_He turned to me, slowly, his face drained of color, a hollow look in his eye._

_I skidded to a stop and kneeled in front of him, grabbing his shoulders. "Sasuke, what happened? Do you know who did this?"_

_His eyes were facing me, but he was looking through me. "My brother… My brother did this…" His gaze met mine then, and he screamed, agonizingly. "He killed them all!"_

_My breath caught in my throat. No. That wasn't possible. Itachi wouldn't do this. I watched Sasuke's glare dart into the opposite direction, the one he had been facing when I first approached him. I would get to the bottom of this. I would find Itachi and discover what exactly had happened here. "Sasuke." I gained his focus back to me. "Listen to me. I'm going after Itachi. I want you to go find Kakashi-senpai. He's my superior. He should be at the Hokage's office right now." I watched as the words slowly registered in his mind. "Can you do that?"_

_He nodded slowly, almost unsure._

_"Sasuke, I need you to tell Kakashi-senpai that I've gone after Itachi. Tell me you can do that."_

_"I can do that." His voice was shaky, but at least he sounded a bit more confident._

_"Good." I nodded at him. "No detours. Be safe. I promise I'll come back to you." I gripped his shoulders reassuringly before running off._

_I ran as fast as I could, darting through the trees with the precision and speed that only an Anbu possessed… and then I ran faster. I pushed myself so that my muscles were screaming in protest. I kept my breathing as steady as possible. I didn't know how far of a head start that he had, but I had to catch up. The Uchiha clan was dead. I had only found Sasuke alive, and I didn't know if there were any others. He said Itachi had done this, but I knew that it couldn't be true. Itachi loved his family. He loved his village. He just couldn't be capable of a massacre. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity later, I caught a glimpse of black hair. Itachi. I breathed a sigh and tears of joy threatened to brim my eyes._

_"Itachi!" I called out his name._

_But he didn't turn. He kept on running. Why was he running away from me? The tears changed to that of fear as I continued to chase after him, calling his name over and over with desperation. Against all odds, I continued to hope that he would turn around with that warm smile and…_

_A sharp pain pierced my chest. It was hot and agonizing… like shards of glass splintering from the inside out. I screamed. A vision of cold, red eyes shot through me. Itachi's form continued to run… until it faded into black… and still I screamed in pain._

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><p>I woke with a sharp gasp and lurched from the bed. I looked around my bedroom. I was alone. I realized that I had been clutching my chest, also that my heart was pounding. I sighed, annoyed, as I wiped the cold sweat from my face. This was why I hated sleeping alone. It was the stupid fucking nightmares. I groaned, untangling my body from the sheets before dragging myself into the kitchen for a glass of water. I splashed some into my face before downing a glass. Leaning back against the counter, I took several deep breaths, trying to calm my still erratic heart. When I was satisfied, I headed to the washroom for a hot shower.<p>

I dressed in my usual attire. The top was dark teal and had a low v-neck cut which exposed my endowments quite nicely. It was sleeveless, which allowed for better fighting. It only went down to the middle of my rib cage, showing off my toned midriff. The skirt was a matching dark teal with slits that went all the way up to my hip, which is actually where the band of the skirt was, but of course I wore mid-thigh, black shorts underneath. I liked this color because my eyes were a brighter, lighter teal. My hair, in a ridiculous contrast, was a dark shade of purple. I donned my ninja equipment, not bothering with the vest, and walked outside.

The bustling village was a sharp contrast to my gloomy, empty home. Today was the day that Sasuke graduated the Ninja Academy. I wanted to be there for him. I grabbed two slices of apple pie from the bakery and hurried to his house. He was just closing the door behind him when I arrived.

"Good morning!" I called out happily.

"Aihime. Good morning." His cool exterior broke long enough to crack a smile at me.

I held out one of the slices of pie as we fell into step beside each other. "I brought you breakfast."

"Breakfast?" He opened the bag in question and raised a brow at me.

"Of course! You're going to need a good breakfast if you're to pass your exam today." I grinned down at him.

"Yeah, but…" he pulled the pie out of the bag and looked up at me, a cute little smirk on his face. "…I don't think this qualifies as a 'good breakfast.'"

I laughed, retrieving my own slice of pie and taking a bite. "Of course, it does! It tastes good, doesn't it?" I spoke around my food, then swallowed. "And it's filled with fruit." I winked at him.

He chuckled. "Whatever you say, Aihime." He started to eat, a small smile on his face.

We had both finished by the time we made it to the Academy. I wished him luck, which he told me he didn't need, and then he went inside. I waited outside for him, before he finally came back out, headband in hand.

"You did it!" I grinned excitedly.

"Of course I did." He shrugged as if it were no big deal.

I sighed inwardly, but retained my outward smile. "Let's go out to celebrate."

He managed just a small, teeny weeny, smile in return. "Okay."

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><p>We were sitting at his chosen restaurant, eating our meals, and engaging in idle conversation…<p>

"So next week you'll be given your teammates and find out who your new sensei is, right?" I asked him curiously before taking another bite.

"Yes. Hopefully I'll be put with an adequate team. And even more than that… I hope that my new sensei is strong. I want to be stronger. I need a strong sensei to learn from." He spoke so seriously.

I knew what his goals and ambitions were… I knew what Itachi had told him that night… and it worried me. I put on a smile. "Your sensei will be a jounin, like me, so of course they'll be strong."

Sasuke frowned a bit, staring at his plate. "Aihime, why aren't you one of the genin's sensei? You're not in the Anbu anymore… you could train a team of genin."

I sighed. "It's just not the right job for me, Sasuke."

He looked directly at me, then. "But you've trained me. And I've seen you helping Naruto. I've even seen you giving pointers to Kiba. Iruka-sensei always had you come to the Academy to teach us different things. I don't understand why you don't have a team of genin."

I shook my head, trying to be patient. "I'm good at teaching short-term, Sasuke. Having long-term students isn't something that would suit me." I'm too broken for that. I simply couldn't tell him that I'm too unstable to influence anyone. I need to be in a position where it's okay for me to crawl away in my hole when I need to.

He must have read the look in my eye because he dropped the subject.

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><p>We finished dinner with mild chatter and I walked him home. I was walking my way back through town. It was late at night, most respectable businesses were shut down, and the street lights were dim. My mind was in a haze. I dreaded the thought of going home.<p>

"Aihime!" Several voices shouted my name.

Lucky me, it looked like I wouldn't have to be going home just yet.

I looked over into the bar's open window to see Kotetsu and Izumo, along with several others, hanging out and waving my way. I smiled and went inside. I spent several hours in the bar with them, and there were several drinks all around. By the end of it, we were all happily buzzed.

It was Kotetsu who decided that he would walk me home… to make sure that I "made it home safely." He kept me laughing the whole way there.

We were kissing by the time we made it to my door. As soon as we were inside, he had me pinned up against it, his mouth trailing heated kisses down my neck. His hands were running down my body, tracing over every curve. I moaned when he found my soft spot and bit down, sucking gently. My fingers laced into his hair, tugging softly. He gripped my thighs, wrapping my legs around his waist and thrusting me against the door with his hips against mine. I continued to move my hips teasingly. He groaned at the sensation, his mouth pulling away from my neck to clash against mine once again.

He continued to kiss me, our tongues engaged in a heated battle, as he made his way to my bedroom. Once in, he dropped me down on the bed and began to rid me of my clothes. I did the same for him, revealing every last bit of flesh. We wasted no time. I craved release. And apparently, so did he. Our warm bodies crashed against each other and his length plowed straight into me with no time to waste. I moaned at the intense wave of pleasure. I showered his chest and his neck with heated kisses as he rammed himself in and out of me. My body moved in response, hips dancing with his, and I met him at every plunge.

"Ko… tet.. su!" I screamed his name as he hit my spot over and over.

He groaned above me, pressing his forehead against mine, his arms grabbing onto me desperately. "Aihime…" My name was growled out in deep breaths.

I bit his lip, barely able to withstand the pressure building inside of me. His speed, which was already at the perfect pace, increased even more, and I screamed as my nails dug into his shoulders, my orgasm finally releasing. "Kotetsu!"

He buried himself within me, slowing down, nearly collapsing. "Oh, Aihime…" His voice was barely audible.

He pulled himself from me, a gratified groan escaping his lips, and laid down beside me. After a few moments of catching our breath, he took me into his arms, my head cradled beneath his chin. I caressed his chest with my fingertips and kissed it gently. I felt his hand running through my hair. I sighed in contentment.

That night, there weren't any nightmares.


	2. Chapter 2: Passing the Time

Chapter 2: Passing the Time

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><p>I woke to a knock on the door. With one eye open, I glanced around the room, seeing that it was, indeed, daylight. The knocking continued. Kotetsu groaned irritably beside me. Giggling, I untangled my limbs from his and grabbed my robe. I threw it on and made my way to the door. I cracked it open to see Izumo.<p>

"Good morning!" He said cheerily.

I managed a smile as best as I could. "Morning." A yawn escaped my mouth.

"I brought you some breakfast. I figured you'd need it after all that drinking last night." He held up a big brown bag that smelled delicious.

I grinned at him, wanting so badly to let him in, but…

"Yo!" Kotetsu came from behind me and swung the door the rest of the way open. "Morning, Izumo!"

I coughed to hide my exasperation.

Izumo stuttered. "Kotetsu!" Then he flushed. "The hell?!"

I wondered why he would be flushing. It's not like he didn't know that Kotetsu and I had sex every now and then. It was the same kind of relationship that I had with him. And no one had ever been shy about it before… oh. That's why. I finally turned around to see that Kotetsu was standing behind me totally naked.

My eyebrow twitched. "Kotetsu. Why are you just flapping in the breeze?"

Izumo laughed at my comment while Kotetsu scratched the back of his head. "I couldn't find my pants…" he mumbled, completely unashamed.

I shook my head and walked back into the kitchen, after taking the bag from Izumo. They followed after me, bickering, while I ate the eggs and bacon that he had brought. It was as absolutely delicious as it smelled. I half listened to them while Izumo helped Kotetsu find his clothes. I realized they had flipped a coin to see who would get to walk me home last night. And Kotetsu was irked because Izumo should have known that he would still be here. But Izumo didn't think we would sleep in this late. And so on. Geez. When did I become such an easy lay? Oh yeah. That's right. It was when that bastard broke my heart and crushed all of my self-esteem. Oh well. I'd rather be a whore than sleep alone and have those terrible nightmares. I couldn't stand being alone at night.

"Aihime."

I realized they had been trying to gain my attention. I snapped my gaze up to them with a smile. "Yes?"

"I asked if the breakfast was alright, but you were kind of spaced out there." Izumo looked concerned.

They were now sitting at the table with me, both fully dressed, staring at me intently. Despite the frequent, casual sex, I knew that these two genuinely did care for me… in some way at least.

"Sorry about that. The breakfast is amazing. Thank you, Izumo." I gave him the most sincere smile that I could muster.

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><p>After we all finished breakfast, we left together. I walked them to the gate for their guard duty. Then I wandered through the town. Lord Third knew that Sasuke would be assigned to a team soon, and he didn't want me going off on any missions until he was settled. Sasuke didn't have to go to the Academy today, since he was officially a genin, so I knew that he would spend the day training. I suppose that I could go and help him… but I didn't think that I could handle his cold determination right now. I knew that Naruto had failed his exam, so I thought about going to console him, but I wasn't sure if I was properly suited to handle that, either. I sighed. I felt useless.<p>

So, I spent the day playing shogi with Shikaku. If he was good for anything, then it was a sexless distraction. It was always nice to use my mind instead of my body… for fighting or otherwise. Shikaku always told me that I was intelligent, but I swear that sometimes he only let me win to boost my confidence… dastardly asshole. But still. I was grateful to him for allowing me a mental outlet.

After hours of mental exercise, it finally began to grow dark. Yoshino insisted that I stay for dinner, but I politely declined. I was tired of socializing. I needed to be with someone that I didn't need to wear my façade with. There was only one person for that. There was only one person that could completely understand me. After all, he had nightmares just like I did.

I made my way down the streets, stopping when I passed Ichiraku's to see it empty. Shrugging, I decided I really should eat first. I sat down at the counter, ordering my usual. Forcing myself to maintain polite conversation, I commenced with small talk, asking Teuchi if he had seen Naruto lately. He told me that he hadn't today, which strangely enough, worried me. I ate my meal quickly. I paid for it, then gave him some extra money, telling him it was for Naruto's meal when he visited next.

I stared up at the sky as I took a straight stride towards my destination. I hoped that there wouldn't be any interruptions. I was so done with social etiquette for the day. I arrived as the businesses were closing down. I knew he would be home. He was just as anti-social as I was. And he was a whole lot more blunt about it. I knocked on the door. There were no sounds of his footsteps before he answered. The door swung open without a sound. He didn't have any lights on inside, but with the moonlight pouring in from the window I could see his silhouette. He could see me clearly with the nearby street light.

"Hey." I whispered.

"Hey." He whispered back. I could hear the smile in his voice.

Without another word, he stepped aside, letting me in. He closed the door behind me. He led me through the rooms, to his bedroom, and pulled me down onto the bed, taking me into his lap. I nestled against him, comfortable in the embrace. He stroked my hair soothingly, from the roots all the way to the waist length ends.

"Rough day?" He asked gently.

My fake smile mixed with the grimace that I really felt. "Every day is rough."

He chuckled softly. "I know the feeling."

I sighed. Even knowing that I could be myself with him, it was still hard to let all of the fake smiles and pleasantries melt away. "What about you?"

"Same. But better now…" He kissed the top of my head, "…that you're here."

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><p><strong>5 points to anyone that can guess who she is with right now! :D<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Pots and Kettles

**5 points to** **NobLe123 ****and Jazzy26!**

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><p>Chapter 3: Pots and Kettles<p>

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><p>"Have you eaten?" He asked softly, still stroking my hair.<p>

"On my way here." I answered as I laced my fingers through his free hand, intertwining them in my lap.

He laid back onto the bed, taking me with him, not disrupting the embrace. He hummed gently.

After several moments had passed, I asked something that I had asked him so many times… "It doesn't ever get easier, does it?"

"Hmph." His grunt was slightly amused, but mostly thoughtful. "For us, I don't think it does… After all, we don't exactly make it any easier on ourselves, now do we?" He lifted me up so that he could look at me pointedly.

I frowned a bit, knowing that he was right. He had said it many times… that I shouldn't blame myself. But he was guilty of the same thing. "You know that I can't help it. It's not like you aren't in the same boat."

He grinned at me, I could see it through his mask. "It really is the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?"

I laughed a little. I fought the urge to defend myself. He knew why I blamed myself. I had told him many times. Itachi and I had grown up together. He and I were best friends, along with Shisui. We were on the same team. We knew everything about one another. I loved him for fuck's sake. How could I not have seen it coming? How was he able to kill Shisui and then murder his entire clan without me even seeing one single damn sign? What the hell kind of poor excuse for a friend was I?

"Come out of it." Kakashi's voice broke me from my thoughts.

I looked up at him questioningly.

"That dark place." He looked at me knowingly, not missing a single thing. "I know that you were there. Come out of it."

I shook my head to clear it. I hadn't even needed to say anything for him to see. He knew me too well. I would say he knew me better than anyone… but I feared that Itachi still held that title. I sat up, trying to escape the place that my thoughts kept pulling be down into. I rubbed my head, trying to rid it of him.

"Shh…" Kakashi rubbed my arms, trying to soothe me.

It wasn't until then that I realized that I was breathing heavier than usual.

"It's alright." He murmured into my ear.

I slowed my breathing, focusing only on him and his touch. "I'm sorry, Kakashi…"

"Don't be." His words were firm with assurance. "It's why we're here for each other."

I nodded. There had been plenty of times when the situation had been turned around. He was broken, too, after all. He, however, did a much better job of maintaining himself than I did.

I turned to face him, pressing my forehead against his. I reached up to remove his mask, my fingertips gently brushing his face. I knew that I was the only one whom he allowed to do this, and it was an honor that I took great pride in. Soft, pink lips waited for me, and I met them eagerly. His hands found their way to my waist, stroking the bare flesh there. His tongue brushed my lower lip, and I allowed entrance without any hesitation. He pulled me down and pressed his body on top of mine, his hands leisurely making their way up and down my body. Our tongues danced together as our bodies tangled. I had a hand in his soft, silver hair and another trailing along the muscles in his back. They flexed with his movements.

My fingers found the hem of his shirt and I swiftly pulled it up, revealing warm flesh and hard muscles. Before the kiss was recovered, he disposed of my shirt, as well. I traced his abs while his mouth ran a trail down my neck and to my breasts. I gasped in pleasure when he began to lick and tease my sensitive nipple, fondling the other with his hand. When the teasing became overwhelming, I flipped us so that I was on top. I licked the shell of his ear before biting the lobe and licking my way down, over his chest, past his abs, and to his happy trail. I stopped at the hem of his pants, just long enough to remove them, then I licked all the way up his hard length. He groaned in pleasure.

I breathed on him teasingly, relishing in the way he shuddered, before taking him into my mouth. I began a slow and steady pace, bobbing up and down. His fingers tangled in my hair and he breathed my name through his grunts and groans. His hips began to thrust, forcing me to deep throat every inch of him. I did so happily. Just when his breathing became erratic, and I knew he was about to come, he yanked me from him by my hair and pinned me to the bed beneath him. I looked up at him, wild eyed, just to see that he, too, looked wild.

He kissed me passionately and bit my lip before pulling away. He kissed, nipped, and sucked his way down as he slid my skirt and shorts off of my body, leaving me completely exposed. His hands were on my thighs, keeping my legs separated. My stomach clenched with anticipation. He ran his tongue up and down each of my inner thighs, getting closer to my warmth each time. I shivered every time he left me wanting. Then, without warning, his tongue was in me. I gasped, barely able to finish the breath before it was swirling tortuously around my clit. My back arched, but a strong hand splayed across my stomach and pushed me back down. A finger entered me, starting a tantalizing pace. I whined at the torment. Soon, there was another finger. I struggled to move my hips, but his grip was relentless. I was so close to a climax that I almost wanted to cry. Why was he being so agonizingly slow?

I felt like I was in a haze of pure pleasure, pure unsatisfied pleasure, when he positioned himself on top of me. He plunged in, and I screamed, gripping onto his shoulders. "Kakashi!" I couldn't hold it anymore. Everything that he had been building just burst through, like a river being held by a dam. The entire time he rode me it was like I was experiencing one steady, never ending orgasm. How in the hell was he always able to do things like this? He still managed to take me by surprise… By the time he released himself inside of me, I was completely spent. I had never experienced a pleasure so intense. Leave it to him to do this to me.

He laid beside me, panting, with a satisfied smirk on his face. His head was facing mine. "Good for you?"

I glared at him playfully, still panting myself. "You ask stupid questions."

He chuckled. "I'll take that as a 'yes' then."

I shook my head, nearly exhausting myself with the effort. "How is it that you can still surprise me?"

His smirk almost turned into a grin. "I am still your senpai, you know." It turned into a full grin when I rolled my eyes. "Besides, I thought you could use it…"

I sighed. That much was true. I grinned back at him. "Whatever."

His grin never faded, even as he rolled to his side and pulled me into his arms. "Goodnight, Aihime."

"Goodnight, Kakashi-_senpai_." I said the 'senpai' sarcastically.

He purred mischievously before kissing me on my cheek, my nose, and lastly my lips. I returned his kiss before falling off into a peaceful slumber.

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><p><strong>Okay, so this chapter was mostly lemon, as you'll see this story will contain a lot of… but Itachi will come in eventually, and then you'll see what happens with that. <strong>

**In the next chapter Aihime finds out that Kakashi will be Sasuke's sensei… How will she react? 5 points to anyone that can guess! :D**


	4. Chapter 4: The Test

**Merry Christmas everyone!**

**5 points to Jazzy26 and See For. There's a full scoreboard up on my profile :)**

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><p>Chapter 4: The Test<p>

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><p>Today was the day that Sasuke was to be assigned to his team. I already knew that Kakashi would be his sensei. Kakashi had told me the night after he found out, even though it was supposed to be top secret. I tossed my head back against the tree that I was leaning on. Kakashi had sent every genin that he had ever got his hands on straight back to the Academy. I sighed. If he was forced to do the same with Sasuke, I would not hold it against him. I knew that Kakashi only wanted what was best for his fellow ninja. He would never allow someone that would not give everything that they had for a comrade to become a full-fledged ninja… and that is what worried me the most. Sasuke and his arrogant tendencies could very well be what stood in his way. Sure, he was strong, but he still needed to learn that he could not rely on his own strength alone. He had to be able to work in a team. Kakashi would be the perfect sensei for him. I only wished that he would last long enough to learn from him.<p>

I squinted my eyes shut. Of course Sasuke would pass Kakashi's test. He was intelligent and clever. He would realize that it would take him and his two teammates to oppose Kakashi. I nodded assuredly to myself. And he had Naruto and that obnoxious, flirty girl on his team. I was glad to hear that Naruto had been passed as a genin, despite his naivety. Iruka had been right in his decision. But it was the very same clumsiness that got Naruto in and out of so much trouble that would get Naruto tied to that ridiculous log. He would be the one to go for the lunches. I was sure of it. Then Sasuke would be aware enough of the situation by then to feed him, influencing his fan girl to do the same. It would work out. I had faith in them. Or, at least, I had faith in my own observations.

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><p>Sasuke did not take the test that day, but instead told me that his new sensei had instructed the team to meet up in the morning. So we ate our dinner outside, on the pier by our favorite lake. He told me how the sensei had made everyone introduce themselves, revealing nothing about himself at all. He also mentioned the prank that Naruto had pulled on him when he walked into the classroom. I could tell that he was very unimpressed with the jonin on his team.<p>

I listened to his every word, remaining biased to the whole situation while filling the gaps with smiles and small phrases of encouragement and reassurance. When he was finished we simply watched the sky change colors.

"Aihime?" His voice broke the gentle silence that had settled between us.

"Yes, Sasuke?" I looked down at him questioningly.

"I remember the name Kakashi… it's familiar." He looked very thoughtful. He had been trying to figure it out for himself before finally resigning to ask me.

"That doesn't surprise me. He was the one that I told you to go find… that night." We always referred to it as 'that night' when we spoke to each other, and the words always held a grim weight, nearly echoing with the death and darkness of the past.

He frowned. He had been so young then… and he was so traumatized when I found him. There were things that he did not remember, but only short glimpses. He remembered every gory and painful thing that had made that night terrible for him in gruesome detail. My heart ached for him. What was left of it, anyway. We had both suffered trauma that night. His, of course, was far greater than mine. That was why I vowed to be there for him, to protect him, until he became a strong ninja that was able to protect himself.

"So he's your senpai?" Sasuke finally spoke again, after he had taken the time to sort through his scattered memories.

"Yes."

"And he was my brother's senpai." Sasuke concluded, connecting the pieces together.

"Yes."

"And he's a strong ninja?" He looked up at me, meeting my eyes.

"Kakashi is a very strong ninja. In fact, he is the only ninja that I trust explicitly, even with my life." I meant every word that I said. "He will be a terrific sensei for you." I nudged his shoulder with mine, trying to lighten the mood. "Just make sure that you pay attention to him. You have a lot to learn and he has a lot to teach."

He rolled his eyes at me. "If I'm to reach my goal then I have to get stronger. I'm just glad that I have a good sensei." He smirked up at me. "After all, if you speak that highly of him then he must be some kind of super ninja."

I giggled at him. He so rarely joked. Even if it was sarcasm, I loved it when he showed some humor. "I'm not sure about all of that, Sasuke… but he definitely won't disappoint you."

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><p>I walked home that night, disappointed that I would be alone… I purposely avoided Kakashi's house. I didn't want to disrupt him before he'd had a chance to test his genins. After all, one of them was practically my little brother. I didn't want to put that kind of pressure on him. I thought about going over to Kotetsu or Izumo's place, but they probably weren't back from guard duty yet and I was tired. I ran through a list of other options in my head… Genma, Raido, Aoba, Iwashi… hmmm… I was still deciding, lingering at a crossroads, when a familiar hand touched my shoulder.<p>

He and I were never intimate in public, so the touch was just a friendly way to get my attention. But still, I knew it was him without even having to turn around. "I didn't expect to see you out so late, Kakashi."

"Ah, yes, I was just taking a stroll." There was a smile in his voice. He moved to stand beside me, his hand releasing my shoulder. "And where are you off to on this beautiful night?"

I shook my head at him as I fought my grin. "I was trying to avoid trouble, but it looks like trouble found me."

He pointed at himself in a shocked manner. "Surely you don't mean me?"

I rolled my eyes, laughing lightly. "Of course I mean you. Now shouldn't you be at home, resting for the grueling test that you plan to put your new students through tomorrow?"

His eyes crinkled with the smile that he used to feign innocence. "I haven't the slightest inclination of what you're talking about, Aihime."

I rolled my eyes playfully again.

"Anyway…" He rolled onward, changing subjects in an obvious way. "I heard someone telling someone that a certain someone trusts another certain someone, and only that certain someone, wholly and completely…" He lifted his hand and brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers.

The contact was nice and unexpected. I eyed him suspiciously. "Eavesdropping, were we?"

I could tell that he was smirking, in spite of the mask. "So what if the first 'someone' and 'certain someone' is you… and the other 'certain someone' is me… and I heard it when you were talking to Sasuke earlier?" He shrugged. Then a mischievous look glinted in his eyes, and he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "We may be the same rank now, but I'm clearly the better ninja. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to sneak up on you so easily… and hear every word you said."

I punched him in his gut.

"Oomph." All of the air left him as he stumbled backwards. I burst into laughter at the sight. If I was capable of love… then I might could love this man.

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><p>Hours passed by. I could hear the clock ticking at an agonizingly slow pace. I glared at the book in my hands, tossing it to the side to join the pile at my feet. I groaned impatiently.<p>

Lord Third chuckled from across the library. "Patience is a virtue, Aihime."

"Patience is a virtue in which I have always been lacking. And I've survived just fine up until now." I walked over to the back of one of the many couches and flung myself over it, sitting upside down on the cushions. My legs hung over the back of the couch and my back rested on the seat of it. My head simply hung over the edge with my hair pooling on the floor.

Lord Third turned to me and laughed. "Aihime, you are one of the most restless people that I have ever met."

I picked up a nearby book and threw it at him.

He dodged it easily, of course.

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><p>Centuries later… okay, maybe not centuries… Kakashi arrived. I looked up from where I was laying, on the top of Lord Third's desk, and waited expectantly. Lord Third caught the book that I tossed up into the air when I sat up straight, still on his desk.<p>

Kakashi didn't even bat an eyelash. He was used to my hyperactive and childish behavior. "They passed."

My eyes went wide and I inhaled a huge breath before exclaiming "hell yes!" and jumping out of the window.

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><p><strong>So, yeah, she's alright and even happy with Kakashi as Sasuke's sensei. She knows that Sasuke will learn a lot from him.<strong>

**5 points if you can guess why Aihime and Lord Third were going through the books in the library!**

**Also, if you have any characters that you want to see with Aihime, then let me know! If it's like a one shot thing that I can throw into the story without disrupting it, then I'll see what I can do.**


	5. Chapter 5: If Not Now, When?

**Happy New Year, guys!**

**Thanks to everyone that reviewed, I really love to hear from you!**

**3 points to See For for attempting to answer my ridiculously difficult question, lol.**

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><p>Chapter 5: If Not Now, When?<p>

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><p>Sasuke and his team had started their missions and his days had been filled with low D rank accomplishments. He wasn't satisfied with that, so he spent his nights training. I had finally been able to return to missions of my own, now that he had been settled onto his team and was under Kakashi's tutelage.<p>

Right now I was on a solo mission. Lord Third and I had finally found the book that we had been searching for, and I was on a delivery mission to Jiraiya-sama, since I was the only one that could find him when he did not want to be found. I found him in a bar, to no surprise, surrounded by raunchy women. I shook my head at his flushed cheeks and flirty laughter. I sat across from him at his table. He looked up immediately.

His eyes widened momentarily with recognition before a wide grin spread across his face. "Aihime! What a pleasant surprise!"

I grinned at him. "I suppose it is." I looked pointedly at our present company. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"Heh heh, never Aihime! You know that you're my favorite girl!"

I rolled my eyes. I pulled the book out of the bag at my hip and held it up so that he could see the dingy cover.

His eyes flashed, coming out of the drunken haze that he was in. "Is it that time, already?"

I nodded before pushing the book back into my bag. It was far too precious to be flaunted around in a place like this. Jiraiya sent the daunting girls away, much to their disappointment, paid for his tab, and then we left.

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><p>We were in his hotel room. I watched him as he flipped through the pages of the book, reminiscence clear on his face.<p>

"So, tell me…" he began, his voice low, "…how is the boy?"

"Lonely, to sum it up in a word. But he is strong… and very determined."

"And who is the jonin on his team?"

"Kakashi."

Jiraiya nodded his head, satisfied with that. "I'm glad."

"Yes, Kakashi is an excellent sensei, and he makes a good match for the team." I agreed with him. I watched him gaze at the picture of Team 7 that I had nestled between the pages of the book.

He chuckled. "He looks just like his father… and just as happy as I did in my team photo."

I grinned. "I bet you can't guess who got tied to the log!"

He grinned back at me. "I bet you that I can!" He laughed heartily as he pocketed the photo and gave the book back to me. "Take this back to the library, will you? It's safer there."

"Sure thing." I replaced the book in its safe place in my bag.

"And thanks for the photo."

I smiled warmly at him.

"So…" The warmth faded as a mischievous spark twinkled in his eye, "…will you be staying the night with me?" His eyebrows wiggled suggestively across his forehead.

I rolled my eyes and picked up the nearby clock to throw at him. It hit him in his temple and he fell backward onto the bed, rubbing his head and whining in a childish manner.

"Come on, Aihime! I need some research for my next book!" He looked at me with puppy dog eyes as he returned to a sitting position.

I stayed by the window and glared at him playfully. "You are such a pervert. Go back to the bar wenches for your 'research.'"

"Awww! But I want you Aihime!" He continued to whine.

I laughed. "Only in your dreams, Pervert-sama."

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><p>I had gone on several missions to busy my time since my favorite distraction was currently busy with my one and only real responsibility. I was unnerved to find out about the lies of the bridge builder that had put them all in harm's way, but I was glad when Kakashi told me that the genin had come out stronger for it. Still… we rank these missions for a reason.<p>

I returned to the village a few days before the start of the Chunin Exams. I was sitting with Sasuke on the pier again. We had finished dinner after I had helped him with some training, and now we were just watching the stars.

"Aihime…" He was usually the one to break the silence… always curious and ready to ask something.

I braced for the question, whatever it may be. I sensed from the tone of his voice that I wouldn't be comfortable with it. "Yes, Sasuke?"

"I know that I've asked before… and you've always told me that you'd tell me eventually… and it's been bothering me more than usual lately, well, because I can tell that it's been bothering you."

I sighed. Now I knew what the question would be.

"Aihime. What happened that night? Between you and my brother?" He looked at me in the eyes. He had grown taller now, so he didn't have to look up very far. "And I don't want you to leave anything out."

I sighed again. I could tell that he wouldn't let it go so easily this time. "Sasuke… it's complicated."

"Then explain it to me." His gaze was relentless.

I resisted the urge to roll me eyes. Fine. If not now, when? "As you know, Itachi and I grew up together."

"Right. You went to the Academy together and you were on the same team as him and Shisui, until you and Itachi both joined the Anbu together." He confirmed that he remembered. "You were always around… You would come over to the family dinners, train with my brother and me… even my parents loved you. You've always been around, just like you are now." His words were loving when they spoke of me, and bitter when they referred to his brother.

"Yes. Itachi and I were very close, so I was sort of close to your family, as well. My clan is scattered, after all, and I don't have any family left in the Leaf Village. So your family kind of took me in. Itachi and I spent most of our spare time together. We even went on nearly all of our missions together." And still, I hadn't seen it coming… not one single damn sign.

Sasuke's muscles were tense. "You loved him didn't you?"

His question didn't surprise me. He was smart, so of course he would have noticed. "Yes…" I answered him softly. "I did."

He nodded, jaw clenched, urging me to continue.

"That night, after I left you, I caught up to him…"

_Finally, after what seemed like an eternity later, I caught a glimpse of black hair. Itachi. I breathed a sigh and tears of joy threatened to brim my eyes._

_"Itachi!" I called out his name._

_His pace slowed for only a moment at the sound of my voice, but he recovered quickly, continuing his run. Why? Why was he running away from me?_

_"__Itachi!" I called again, more desperately this time. The tears changed to that of fear as I continued to chase after him._

_This time, he turned to look at me, a cold expression in his red eyes. "Go back home, Aihime!" He yelled over his shoulder, still running._

_I didn't stop. I continued to chase after him, calling his name over and over with desperation. Against all odds, I continued to hope that he would turn around with that warm smile and just come home with me._

_Suddenly, he skidded to a stop on the ground. I landed on the ground and stopped behind him. His back was facing me, just a few feet away._

_"__Itachi." I whispered._

_"__You shouldn't have come out here, Aihime." His voice was low, filled with an emotion that did not suit him._

_"__Itachi, I found the Uchiha Clan dead… Sasuke is alive, but, he said something… And I was worried about you… What happened, Itachi?" I reached my hand out to him, but he stepped out of my reach._

_"__What did he say, Aihime?"_

_"__He said…" I didn't even want to repeat it. There was just no way that it could be true._

_"__What did he say?" His voice was harsher this time. The command was clear in his voice._

_"__He said that you did it. That you killed everyone." I whispered so low that I could barely hear myself._

_Itachi bowed his head and chuckled darkly. "He's right." Then he turned to look at me, allowing the moonlight to shine over him, and I saw him clearly for the first time. He was covered and splashed in blood. His red eyes were so cold and expressionless. "I killed them all."_

_I lost the ability to breathe. My knees buckled, and I fell to them, too weak to stand. It was so hard to comprehend. This wasn't the Itachi that I knew… This wasn't the Itachi that I loved. "Why? Why Itachi?" I heard myself whisper. My voice was choked from the effort to restrain my tears._

_"__To test my strength." His words were brutal. They were truth. "I left Sasuke alive so that he can grow stronger. He will be a good challenge for me someday."_

_No… No. It couldn't be true. I shook my head, refusing to believe that this was Itachi._

_He turned to leave. "He's your problem now."_

_"__No!" I screamed, realization of the situation finally hitting me full force. "This isn't you Itachi!" Tears ran down my face freely now. "After everything that we experienced when we were children… The shinobi war… all of the bloodshed… I thought we had agreed to seek peace?!" I stared up at him defiantly, refusing to believe that he had turned from everything that we had talked about, everything that we believed in. "And after everything that we've been through together and all of the memories that we've shared… are you really going to leave me and your village behind? Are you really going to leave your beloved brother behind?" I couldn't believe that he would just forsake everything that he loved._

_"__Yes." He answered without hesitation just as soon as I had finished my rant._

_I gasped, fighting back my sobs and cries. This couldn't be true. I took a deep breath. I couldn't lose him now. He was everything to me. He was the only one that I had ever believed in. I had dreamed that we could change the world together. I loved him! "Then take me with you!" I heard myself shout._

_He turned back around so that he could face me, the cold look ever present in his eyes. "Aihime… you were only ever good as someone to keep me motivated. I'm finished with you now." His words were like ice splintering through my heart, breaking it into sharp, fragmented pieces._

_I felt his words sink into my mind, spread through my veins, pump into my heart, and then dig in deep. They punctured me from the inside, breaking me. How could he be so cold? I couldn't even move as he swept forward and plunged his sword into my chest. The pain was hot and agonizing. I screamed, unable to withstand everything that had transpired. He pulled back, not even looking at me as he walked away. I fell into a pool of my own blood and watched him fade into the blackness of my vision, reaching out for him, until the darkness overtook me._

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><p><strong>So Aihime is finally telling Sasuke about what happened that night… 5 points to anyone that can guess how he will react when she's finished<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: An Unexpected Confession

**5 points to See For and Jazzy26!**

**And you get absolutely nothing for these points, aside from some amusement and my admiration and gratitude for answering my silly questions! :D Oh, and your name on my profile! lol**

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><p>Chapter 6: An Unexpected Confession<p>

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><p><em>I awoke to the feeling of being carried. The arms that were wrapped around me were strong, warm, and diligent. The pace was steady and balanced, careful not to disrupt me. The only thing that I could hear was the wind breaking around us at the speed of our travel. I didn't open my eyes, but I could tell that the sun was rising. More than anything, I was overwhelmed by an aching pain in my chest. It was not the wound by the sword, for I felt that as a dull throb. It was the sharp pain in my heart. He had broken my heart and then stepped on the pieces. I knew that there was nothing of it left. I felt empty and shelled out, with nothing but a hollow, echoing pain resounding in the cavern of my chest. I tasted salt, and realized that tears were running down my face.<em>

_"__Shhh…" A familiar voice spoke. "We will be at the infirmary soon."_

_"__Kakashi-senpai…" My voice came out in a whimper._

_"__It's alright, Aihime. I have you now. Everything will be fine." His voice was so soothing._

_I fell back into the black's welcoming embrace._

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><p><em>The next time I woke up, I was in the infirmary. Kakashi-senpai was at my bedside. He patiently waited for me to tell him everything that had transpired, stroking my hair in a supportive manner, always waiting for me to compose myself during my long pauses. His gaze was affectionate and thoughtful as he took it all in. When I was finished, he actually hugged me. It was a comfortable and consolatory embrace.<em>

_I calmed myself down, ridding myself of the self-pity. "Where is Sasuke?"_

_"__He's in the room next door. He's been asking for you, but I wanted to make sure that you were completely alright before you had to speak to anyone."_

_"__Thank you, Kakashi-senpai." I sighed. I still didn't understand how Itachi could do something like this, but obviously there was nothing that I could do to change it. "I should go and see him…" I realized I was being selfish with how much time I had spent thinking of myself. Sasuke had it worse. He had lost his entire family and clan in one night… at the hands of his very own brother._

_As Kakashi helped me from the bed and led me to Sasuke, I made a resolution. I decided that I would take care of Sasuke, the way that Itachi should have. I would protect him, take care of him, and make sure that he would never be alone. He deserved so much better than this, so I would do everything that I could for him. I would make him my responsibility. _

_He looked up at me as I entered the room. "Aihime."_

_"__Hey, Sasuke." I forced myself to smile at him. I sat down on the edge of his bed._

_His eyes scanned me with concern. "Are you okay? You were injured, weren't you? You shouldn't be out of bed."_

_I waved him off. "I'm fine, kiddo. The blade passed right by my heart, without injuring anything vital." How ironic. "Besides, you shouldn't be worrying about me."_

_He frowned skeptically, but he let it go. "…so, what happened?"_

_I tensed, but forced myself to relax. He didn't need to bear my burdens. It was my job to bear his, not the other way around. "I'll tell you some other time…"_

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><p>Sasuke sat in silence as he absorbed everything that I told him. I left out all of the emotional parts, because I didn't want him to know how much it affected me… how much it still affected me. Even though I'm sure he noticed the change in my mannerisms, I tried my best to hide it. After all, I needed to keep the promise that I had made to myself. I needed to protect him, to shield him, even if it was from my own pain.<p>

"You've been taking care of me ever since then." He stated. It was the first thing that he had said in a long while.

"Of course I have." I smiled down at him. "Someone needed to."

He shook his head. "It's time that I return the favor."

I looked at him questioningly. I didn't recognize the strange look that was burning in his eyes.

He leaned in, his gaze locked onto mine. "While you've been taking care of me, no one has been taking care of you. Well, I'm going to take care of you. My bastard of a brother broke your heart that night… and now I'm going to help you put it back together."

Suddenly, before I even had a chance to react, his lips were pressed against mine. I pulled back immediately, shock and surprise clear on my face. I realized that his hand had found its way to my waist, so I stood to my feet and backed away.

"Sasuke…" I started, softly, trying to think of the best way to resolve this.

"No, Aihime!" He stood to his feet, cutting me off. "I love you! Let me take care of you! Just give me a chance. You never deserved all of that pain… Neither of us did. But we got through it, together. I'll take my revenge on him. I'll kill him for everything that he did. I've always hated him for murdering our clan… and now, after hearing what pain he put you through, I hate him even more. And I'll make sure that you never feel that kind of pain again."

I was so taken aback. I never expected this from him. I had treated him like a little brother all of these years… Where had he gotten this idea? When had he started feeling like this? "Sasuke… you're like a little brother to me. I just… I love you, but not in that way." Besides… I'm too broken for anyone to fix.

"Aihime, please." He stepped closer to me. "Things could be so much better. Let me prove it to you. I want to make you happy."

"Sasuke." I sighed. Why was this so difficult? "I need you to understand… I am incapable of the kind of love that you're wanting from me. And even if I was, I would still see you as my little brother." I watched his face fall. "I don't want anything to jeopardize the relationship that we have now. So, please… just let this go, Sasuke. If you love me, love me as your sister."

He closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms. I let him. He leaned up and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm not giving up on you, Aihime." He whispered softly. "I'm not giving up on us."

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><p><strong>Now Sasuke has another reason to hate Itachi, and apparently has been hiding some feelings for Aihime…<strong>

**Hmmm… So, what is Aihime going to do about Sasuke's feelings? 5 points to anyone that can guess what she will do next.**


	7. Chapter 7: The First Time

**5 points to See For! And I like the way you worded that… "bragging rights" is totally perfect! Lol :)**

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><p>Chapter 7: The First Time<p>

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><p><em>It had been a few weeks since Itachi had left. Sasuke had stayed with me temporarily before moving into a small house that Lord Third had set up for him. I expressed that he was welcome to stay with me, but Sasuke insisted that he was capable of living on his own. I checked in on him frequently, cooking or buying his meals, walking him back and forth from the Academy, and helping him with his training. We were both adjusting, but I knew that neither of us would ever be the same. I was a bit disheartened when Lord Third suggested that I leave the Anbu, but he said that it was so I could spend more time with Sasuke. I took his suggestion and became one of Lord Third's top jonin, going on personal missions for him, a lot of which were top secret.<em>

_The days dragged on. The nights were sleepless, filled with nightmares. A hollow feeling had spread throughout my core, pulling at my insides. It was a constant nag. I had never felt so empty and lonely in all of my life. I didn't even feel like myself anymore. I disguised the anguish that was storming inside of me with fake smiles and pleasant conversations. As far as anyone knew, I was completely fine. Except for Kakashi-senpai… he knew. And he made sure to point it out. He wanted me to be okay._

_He knew that I was broken. He knew that I blamed myself for not being able to see the tragedy coming. He knew that I was crying on the inside while laughing on the outside. He made an effort to spend time with me, always asking about how I was. He wouldn't accept the fake, casual answers that I gave to everyone else. He insisted that I tell him the truth. And so I did. When the days were too long and too hard, he listened and comforted me through them. When the nights were too overwhelming and exhausting, he held me and soothed me until they were over. He became a strong and stable place for me to lean on in the midst of the turmoil that was my life. I was eternally grateful to him._

_I still remember that first time. It was extraordinary. I had been staying the nights with him because he knew how much I hated to be alone. I had been surprised and honored when he had taken off his mask in front of me for the first time. We had started flirting during our conversations. It was an amazing distraction. Then we had started kissing here and there. That was an even better distraction. I was very inexperienced, so he always stopped before things got too heated. Until one night, I asked him to continue._

_"__Are you sure?" He asked, his voice soft._

_I looked up at him. Clear moonlight shown in through the window, bathing his skin in a beautiful way. He was only wearing the pants that he slept in, his chest bare, revealing his perfectly toned muscles. He was half on top of me, the palm of his hand against my cheek with his fingers laced through my hair. His other hand was on my waist. I was wearing a tank top and shorts, my usual sleeping attire._

_"__Yes." I answered him. "I'm sure." I pulled his head back down to mine and kissed him heatedly._

_He returned the kiss, pushing his tongue past my lips and into my mouth, engaging my tongue in a tangled dance. I pressed my body against his, running my hands along his skin. The kiss continued for a while before he ran his lips to my ear._

_"__Are you sure that you're sure?" He whispered._

_I wanted to roll my eyes. "Yes… Kakashi." I returned his whisper._

_He pulled away and looked down at me, his face just above mine. It was the first time that I had addressed him without the 'senpai.'_

_He kissed me on the lips again before trailing kisses down my jaw and to my neck. A moan escaped me as he began to nip and suck my neck. His hands ran up and down my body. His hot mouth moved down to the tops of my breasts as his fingers found the hem of my shirt. My breathing increased. He slowly pulled the tank top from my body and gazed down at my full, perky breasts. This was uncharted territory. His fingertips traced the scar that Itachi had left me with, just to the side of my heart. He kissed it gently. Then his mouth descended onto my breast, licking and sucking my nipple. I gasped and moaned at the sensation. His hand massaged and played with the other one, as well. He continued his teasing until my every breath was a moan._

_Finally, he moved downward, his tongue running all the way to the hem of my shorts. He removed them, along with my panties, and again took the time to gaze at my body, which was now completely naked. "You are absolutely beautiful." He muttered softly._

_I watched him curiously as he spread my legs, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation in my stomach. His eyes met mine as he ran his tongue over my clit. I shuddered and gasped at the feeling. My head fell back onto the bed as he began to dart his tongue around in a circular pattern, sending waves of pleasure through my senses. I moaned even deeper as I felt something enter me, and I looked down to see him fingering me as he continued to lick my clit._

_My hips moved in response, my back arching at the pleasure. A pressure began to build in my core, something that I had never felt before. I was experiencing so many new feelings tonight. I gasped when I felt him add another finger and the speed of the thrusts increased._

_"__Mhm." I bit my lip. The pleasure was overwhelming my senses. The pressure inside of me was building and I didn't know how to relieve it. My moans turned to whimpers. "Kakashi…" I whispered his name. His fingers curled inside of me and all at once the pressure exploded, causing me to cry out, gripping the sheets around me. That was my first orgasm._

_He pulled his fingers out and I watched him lick them free of my juices. He pressed his lips to my warmth for a kiss before leaning back up and capturing my mouth with a kiss. "You taste so good, Aihime." He whispered against my lips. "And your moans are absolutely lovely." His tongue delved into my mouth, and I tasted myself on him. I kissed him back eagerly, still on the high from my climax._

_He was positioned in between my legs. He bucked his hips against mine and I felt his hard manhood through the fabric of his pants. I moaned into the kiss. He broke from me to remove his pants, tossing them to the side. I looked at his body, seeing a man's lower regions for the first time. He was long and hard… I wondered how he would fit inside of me. After all, his fingers alone seemed to have a tight fit. He positioned himself at my entrance._

_He took my chin in his hand, drawing my attention to his face. "This will hurt." His eyes were concerned and almost severe. "I will ask you one more time… Are you sure that you are ready for this, Aihime?"_

_I nodded. I was a ninja, so I was more than capable of handling physical pain. I did not fear it. As far as emotional pain… well, Itachi had done irreparable damage to my heart. I had always imagined that he would be my first time and my last time. He was my first and only love… I was sure that I would never be able to love again. This could not cause any damage to my heart, because I no longer had one. I wanted this. I wanted a release. I wanted a relief from the never ending emptiness inside of me. "Yes, Kakashi. I want this."_

_He smiled a soft smile and kissed my forehead… my nose… my lips… "Brace yourself, Aihime. I wasn't kidding about this hurting you. Just try to relax and the pain will subside."_

_I nodded again so that he would know that I was ready. He pushed himself into me, not slow but not fast either. I bit my lip to keep from screaming, but a yelp still escaped. My hands grasped onto his shoulders, nails digging in, trying to find a way to relieve the pain. I could feel my insides stretching… I could swear that they were being ripped apart. I remembered what he said and I tried to relax, taking deep, steady breaths. He didn't move for several moments, allowing me to adjust. I could feel him deep inside of me, my insides screaming in protest at being pushed past their limits. I didn't think that I would ever be ready for him to continue, but I knew that the sooner I got it over with, the better that I would feel._

_I pressed my lips to Kakashi's in a quick and heated kiss before looking up and nodding for him to continue. He laced a hand through my hair, stroking my temple with his thumb. Then he began to move. At first it was excruciating, despite the fact that he moved at a slow pace. Eventually, though, I began to enjoy it. At that point, my body reacted with his and my hips met him at every thrust._

_"__Mhm, Kakashi… faster, please!" I spoke through my moans, urging him onward._

_He happily obliged, increasing the rhythm and even pounding into me harder. "Aihime… you feel so wonderful." He began to groan as he moved in and out of me._

_The pressure began to build in my core again, and this time I knew what it was. I began to grip onto him desperately, my moans nearly turning into screams. His hand trailed down my curves before stopping at my hip. His fingers moved toward my center and began to tease my clit as he continued to thrust in and out of me._

_"__Oh, Kakashi!" I screamed his name as the pressure ruptured through me, giving me my second orgasm, pleasure shocking through my veins in intense waves._

_He grunted above me as he sped his pace up even more. Then I felt his body shudder. "Aihime…" He groaned my name._

_His body slowed and finally stopped. He gently pulled himself out of me. He laid down beside me as he pulled the covers over us. He turned me to my side as he slid his arms around me. I looked up into his eyes. I smiled the first genuine smile, one that did not hide any pain, for the first time since Itachi had left me._

_Kakashi smiled down at me and kissed my forehead. "Well?"_

_"__That was amazing." I grinned._

_He chuckled as he kissed me before pulling my body further into his, readying for sleep._

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><p>I left Sasuke at the pier and made my way as fast as I could to Kakashi's house. I knocked on the door and fidgeted impatiently as I waited for him to open it. He didn't even say anything as he let me in. I sat down at his table and he watched me carefully.<p>

"What happened? What's wrong?" He bent down and looked me in the eye, trying to ascertain what had happened to me.

I shook my head. "I don't really know."

He rolled his eyes, taking the seat next to me, facing me diagonally. "Nonsense. Just tell me what happened."

So I started from the beginning and I told him everything.

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><p><strong>Aihime goes straight to Kakashi after Sasuke confesses his feelings.<strong>

**What do you think Kakashi's advice will be? 5 points to anyone that guesses correctly! :)**

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><p><strong>See For, you're totally on the right track! Sasuke does not know about Aihime and Kakashi… oh noes! D:<strong>

**Anon, I appreciate the reviews and the suggestion, but I really think that would be OOC for Itachi, and I just can't bring myself to write him that way…**

**Guest, I guess we'll just have to wai****t and see…**


	8. Chapter 8: The Best Advice

**5 points to See For, LostLonelyLies, and Jazzy26! :D**

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><p>Chapter 8: The Best Advice<p>

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><p>"It's not fucking funny, Kakashi!" I watched him as he hunched over and laughed out loud, amused by my situation.<p>

"I'm sorry, Aihime, but it really is kind of hilarious." He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

I glared at him. "Nothing about this is funny, Kakashi! It's a fucking nightmare is what it is."

"Alright, alright." He made an effort to settle down his laughter, but he was still grinning.

I let my head fall onto the table. "I have no idea how to handle this, Kakashi… What am I supposed to do?"

"Well, he said that he wouldn't be giving up, right? So you don't give up either. You've taken care of him since he was little. You may not love him the way he wants you to, but you do love him. So, continue to be his caretaker. You made him your responsibility, so own it. Be honest with him. It's up to you to set him straight, so that he knows what you want. What you want matters, Aihime." His words were stern and gentle at the same time.

I sighed. "But how am I supposed to face him, Kakashi? Knowing what he's thinking… that he's going to try to win me over or something… I just don't know how I'll deal with him now."

"Deal with him the same way that you always have. I don't think that you should distance yourself or avoid him, not by any means. The two of you have had a dependent relationship. You've both dealt with a similar pain together. Just be resilient. Continue to treat him like your little brother, and eventually he'll see that as the only relationship that the two of you can have. Be patient. He may be determined to change your mind, but you need to be more determined to keep things the way that you want them."

I lifted my head to look at him. "How is it that you always seem to know everything?"

He smiled at me. "I don't. I just know you well enough to give you the best advice." He winked.

I returned his smile. "Thank you, Kakashi."

* * *

><p>I spent the night with him. He distracted me from my upset with sex, and I was more than happy with that. Thanks to him, my sleep was restful.<p>

I woke the next morning with sunlight pouring into the room through the curtains. I yawned and stretched before snuggling into his chest. He was lying on his back. I felt him stir. And then his arms wrapped around me and his hands began to wander. I moved so that I was on top of him, straddling his hips.

He opened his eyes to look up at me and smiled. "Morning, beautiful."

I smiled back at him. "Just 'morning?' How about I make it a good one?"

I leaned down and kissed him softly, teasingly running my tongue over his lips. His hands found their way to my waist and he pulled me down closer to him. I felt him hardening underneath me, so I bucked my hips against his, teasing him. He groaned in response and gripped me harder. I ran my mouth down to his neck so that I could nibble and suck him there. I lifted my hips and positioned them over his now hard manhood. With a bite to his neck, I rocked forward, filling myself with him. I felt his groan vibrate through his chest.

I began moving, pumping him in and out of me. I kissed his chest as his hands trailed down to my hips, encouraging me to move faster. I obliged, moaning as he thrust his hips against mine, angling himself deeper inside of me. I rode him as that familiar pressure rose in my core. I kissed him heatedly, our tongues dancing together to the rhythm of our movements. I felt his motions becoming more urgent before he shuddered beneath me, emptying himself inside of my warmth. His fingers played with my clit and I rocked against him a few more times as I experienced my own orgasm.

I laid down on top of him, breathing heavily. He caressed my back as our breathing slowed. He kissed my shoulder and ran his fingers through my hair.

* * *

><p>We were in his dining room eating the omelets that I had made for us. He had put his pants on, but I had stolen his shirt and was wearing it comfortably. A knock on the door sounded and I watched as he put his mask on, going to answer it. He cracked the door to see who was on the other side.<p>

"Kakashi-sensei. I wanted to see if we could get some training in before the chunin exams." Sasuke's voice drifted through the small opening.

Oh, shit. Sasuke didn't know about my relationship with Kakashi. I sighed… maybe it was for the best if he did. I stood from my chair and walked over to the door. Kakashi sensed me coming and realized what I was doing. He discreetly opened the door wider, allowing me to see Sasuke from around Kakashi's body. Sasuke's eyes widened when they landed on me. I watched his eyes as they looked from Kakashi's shirtless form and then clicked on me, wearing nothing but his shirt. It was long sleeved and went down to my mid thighs, but the situation was obvious.

Sasuke's eyes hardened as they turned back to Kakashi. "I didn't realize that you were busy."

Kakashi smiled at him, trying to relieve the tension. "I'm not busy. I'd be happy to help you train." He glanced at me over his shoulder. "You'll just have to give me a moment to retrieve my shirt… and get ready to go."

Sasuke's body tensed and his jaw clenched. His hands turned to fists at his sides.

"Sasuke." I spoke softly, wishing that he would just understand and let us go back to the way things were… before he started having feelings for me. "Please understand…"

"I think I understand just fine." He turned his gaze back to Kakashi. "I'll meet you at the training grounds." And then he was gone.

I sighed as Kakashi shut the door. He came over to me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a warm embrace. "You did fine, Aihime. Things will work out one way or another. Just remember what I told you."

I nodded against his chest. "Okay."

* * *

><p>I spent the day with Naruto so that I could help him train. He was so goofy and entertaining that it helped to keep my mind off of Sasuke and all of the drama going on in my life. I loved how determined he was to be stronger. He was determined in a fired-up way, rather than the cold determination that always consumed Sasuke. I appreciated both of their efforts… I knew that they would each grow up to be very different, but extremely strong ninja that would influence the village in a huge way.<p>

After treating Naruto to some ramen at Ichiraku's and walking him home, I made my way to my own home. It was a quiet night, and my thoughts were beginning to get to me. On top of the usual feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and the bereavement that Itachi had left me with… I now had the trouble of Sasuke's feelings dealt along with it all. The hollow ache pounded in my chest with an added confusing torment. I rubbed my head to try and rid myself of the plaguing thoughts.

A knock on the door brought me an interruption that I was very grateful for. I opened the door to see Genma. I let him in happily. I could use a way to relieve myself from the anxiety that I had been feeling.

"Hey, gorgeous." He greeted me with that casual smirk of his.

"Hey." I plastered on a smile as I shut the door behind me.

"I was just taking a stroll and I figured I'd stop by to see you." He explained, still with the smirk.

I grinned as I made my way over to him. "I'm glad that you did." I ran my hands over his chest.

He removed the senbon from his mouth and then planted his hands on my waist, pulling me to him. His lips found mine and engaged me in a heated kiss. Our tongues battled as he ran a hand down to grip my ass. After a few moments, he pulled us into my bedroom, still engulfed in the kiss. He removed our clothes along the way, scattering them about the house. We were naked when we reached my bed.

We landed on it with him on top. He scattered kisses over my neck and breasts, sneaking in some sucking and biting as he did. He pulled my legs up over his shoulders and plunged himself into me. I moaned as he found his way in, deeply, hitting my spot. He pushed himself closer to me, my legs still on his shoulders, and reached an amazing angle. I bit my lip and moaned as he pounded into me.

"Mhm, fuck, fuck yes!" I cried out from the pleasure, gripping the sheets around me. "Yes, Genma!"

His lips clashed against mine and he groaned my name into my mouth. "Aihime…" He continued to move, quickening his pace and pounding even harder. "Oh, Aihime! You feel incredible!"

My moans were bordering on screams and I arched myself to meet him. I could feel my orgasm gathering within me, and I cried out desperately. "Oh, please! Genma!"

He bit my neck and sucked as he rocked his body against mine. "Yeah, Aihime, I'll get you there…" His hands moved across my body, one to fondle my breast and the other to finger my clit.

"Oh!" I let out a scream as my orgasm finally exploded, sending waves of pleasure through my senses. "Fuck, yes, Genma!"

He groaned against my neck as he plunged into me a few more times, releasing his own orgasm. "Aihime!" His groans were guttural and I could feel them vibrating from inside of me.

I bit my lip as I rode the high that he had given me. He collapsed beside me on the bed. I heard him chuckling as our breathing slowed.

"Fuck, Aihime. You are so amazing."

I laughed softly. "I could say the same about you."

* * *

><p><strong>So Kakashi basically tells her to be straightforward, patient, and resolute with Sasuke. <strong>

**Hmmm, so Sasuke found out about Aihime and Kakashi. I wonder how he'll handle this new information… 5 points if you can guess!**

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><p><strong>See For, you're pretty much on point! Lol.<strong>

**LostLonelyLies, we'll get there ;)**

**Jazzy26, you really think so? Lol, I was kind of worried about it, to be honest… I'm glad it worked out :)**

**anon, I see your point, but he was fighting back tears when he killed his clan! Lol. But maybe I can make it like a nightmare that she has, or something… I dunno… I'll think about it.**


	9. Chapter 9: The Chunin Exams

**5 points to See For, LostLonelyLies, and To'M'L Kuran :)**

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><p>Chapter 9: The Chunin Exams<p>

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><p>The next morning, Genma had just left my house when there was a knock on the door. I wondered if he had forgotten something. Thinking that it was him, I opened the door wearing only my robe. But it wasn't him. It was Sasuke.<p>

"Sasuke." I struggled to compose my features, not allowing them to reveal my shock.

"Aihime." He answered as he walked into my house. He looked around, eyeing the clothes that were still scattered about.

I shut the door and watched him.

"So… Genma, too?" He said it casually, but there was a bitter undertone. "Who else do you keep 'company' with?"

I sighed. He had seen Genma leaving. "That's an inappropriate question, Sasuke."

"Fine. But let me ask this…" He turned to face me, meeting my eyes. "Do you love any of them?"

I decided to take Kakashi's advice. I would be honest. The life that I had may be promiscuous, but the way that I found relief from my emptiness was fine with me. "I told you, Sasuke. I am incapable of that kind of love."

He shook his head. "I don't believe that. I believe that my asshole of a brother screwed you up so badly that you don't even know your own worth. You just use whatever you can to distract yourself from the pain."

I felt myself getting annoyed. Yeah, he was partially right, but that didn't mean that he could harass me about it. "Sasuke, I do what I want, with whomever I want, when I want to. That's my decision, and I'm fine with it."

"Well I'm not!" He stomped his foot, childishly. "You deserve better than that! You deserve to love and be loved. Not to use and be used."

I rolled my eyes. "I deserve to have what I want, and this is what I want... I want to continue my life the way I've been living it. I want you to forget these so-called 'feelings' that you have for me. I want to take care of you as my younger brother and I want you to love me as your older sister."

"Why would you want to continue your life the way it is when you deserve so much better?! My feelings for you are real, Aihime. And I refuse to give up on them." He had made his way closer to me during his rants. "I can help you change your life for the better. Just let me." He leaned in and tried to press his lips to mine, but I pulled away.

Damn. He was persistent. "Sasuke…" I sighed his name.

"Aihime." He answered me with a firm tone.

I moved to the other side of the room as he reached out to try and hold me. I had to be resilient. "Sasuke, you need to understand. I have coped with my life in the way that I want to. I'm fine with it. I don't want you thinking that you can change me or affect my life in any way outside of being my brother. Don't ruin what we have by pursuing this."

I left the room, heading for my bedroom and shutting the door to separate us. I couldn't continue to argue with him anymore.

"I won't give up, Aihime! You'll see, eventually… Eventually you'll see that things would be better if you'd just give me a chance."

I banged my head against the door. Why couldn't he see? Why couldn't he see that he was only making things worse? Not better… I heard him leave my house, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

><p>The chunin exams had finally begun. I was, of course, by Lord Third's side, helping him with anything that he needed. Sasuke's team had passed the first stage with a brilliant show from Naruto. I had laughed out loud when Ibiki had told me about his impressive display of passion. That was just like Naruto. I wished that I could have been there to see it.<p>

The second stage, however, was a series of misfortunes. We had been infiltrated by Orochimaru, and he had placed a curse seal on Sasuke and disrupted Naruto's demon seal. I was so angered by it all that Lord Third had to intervene to calm me down. I was forced to watch helplessly from the screens as Naruto and Sasuke lie there, unconscious, and Sakura fought to defend them. I was actually surprised and even impressed by her efforts. But I was still worried about the boys. Kakashi assured me that he could seal Sasuke's curse seal, but it would have to wait until after the preliminaries. Lord Third chuckled every time that I huffed in frustration, assuring me that they would be fine, reminding me that they were strong. I believed him, of course… but that didn't make me any happier about the situation. It didn't help that Genma kept teasing me, either.

I was relieved when the preliminary rounds started and I could be closer to them. That way, whether anyone liked it or not, I could intervene if they needed me. I also knew that Hayate would not hesitate to step in if a battle got out of hand. It gave me a feeling of ease. But still, I watched Sasuke fight with dread building in my gut. Orochimaru had set his sights on Sasuke, and I had no idea why. The thought of Orochimaru anywhere near Sasuke made my gut tie into sickening knots. What could he possibly want with him?

Sasuke's battle was much more difficult than it should have been, due to the restrictions of the curse seal. Damn Orochimaru to the blackest and hottest hell… I watched Naruto with a smile as he taunted Sasuke, urging him onward. Sasuke reacted, of course, and was able to finish his match with a win. As soon as his battle was over, I went with Kakashi to help him perform the seal, regrettably leaving Lord Third's side. But thankfully, Genma took my place to oversee the rest of the battles with Lord Third, and I instructed him to keep an eye on the sound ninja and to watch over Naruto.

I had wished that I could be there to watch Naruto and the other leaf genin, but Sasuke was my priority. He was my responsibility. Taking care of him was the most important thing in my life. Kakashi and I were able to seal the curse… but of course, we could not remove it. Orochimaru had branded him. Now Sasuke was connected to Orochimaru… and there was nothing that I could do about it. I felt like I had failed him in some way. I was supposed to be looking after him, protecting him, and I had allowed this to happen. How could I have been so reckless? How had Orochimaru slipped past our defenses? What was he planning next? I couldn't let him get away with this… I couldn't let him anywhere near Sasuke. I would keep him safe. I would keep my village safe.

* * *

><p>I was glad to hear later on that Naruto had won his match, though at the same time I was disappointed for Kiba. I knew that Kiba was also a determined, hard-working ninja. But sometimes losing was just a part of life. Naruto had suffered loss. So he deserved this win.<p>

I kept a close eye on both him and Sasuke as they trained for the final stage. Jiraiya-sama had finally arrived and was helping Naruto to train. He had fixed his demon seal as well. I had just about died laughing when I heard Naruto call him Pervy Sage. When I told Naruto that I called him Pervert-sama, he started laughing with me. Jiraiya-sama was not very amused at our exchange of personal nicknames for him, and insisted that he was one of the Legendary Sannin, Toad Sage, Jiraiya-sama, which only made us laugh harder. Sasuke was training with Kakashi in order to learn the chidori. He was determined, as usual, and he was taking his training very seriously. Both of them made remarkable progress.

I had already taken lunch to Kakashi and Sasuke and I was now bringing food to Jiraiya-sama and Naruto. They both looked up at me with large grins as I approached. Naruto looked scuffed up and tired, clearly having been training very hard.

"Aihime-sensei!" Naruto shouted happily, waving at me.

"Hey, Naruto!" I waved back at him. "I hope that you're hungry!" I smiled as I sat down against a nearby boulder and began to unpack the lunches that I had brought.

He whizzed over in a blur and was immediately sitting across from me, practically drooling as he nodded his head. "Uh-huh. I've been waiting for you all day!"

Jiraiya-sama sat down beside us. "It hasn't even been all day…"

I laughed at him as I handed him his food and he began to dig in. Jiraiya-sama was a lot more civil about it, but he was also very eager. They both shouted their thanks, after their mouths had already been filled, of course. I waited for them to settle down a bit before I spoke again.

"So, Naruto, how is training going?"

"It's going great! Pervy Sage sure does know more than you'd think…"

A whacking sound echoed through the trees as Jiraiya-sama smacked Naruto on the back of the head. "I told you! I'm the great Toad Sage!"

Naruto rubbed his head as he scowled up at him. "You're also a pervert…"

"He has a point, Pervert-sama." I nodded, agreeing with him.

"Don't say that, my beautiful Aihime!" Jiraiya-sama pouted with a pitiful whine to his voice.

I laughed at his ridiculous expression. "You're so pathetic!"

"But Aihime!" He whined, louder this time.

"She's right, Pervy Sage. You should stop whining." Naruto watched him with a strange twitch in his eye.

Jiraiya-sama turned a glare on him before smacking him on the head again.

I rolled my eyes as I stood to my feet. "As amusing as the two of you are… I need to get going now."

"Awww!" They both cried out in unison.

I smiled at them both as I gathered the empty lunches. "I'll see you two tomorrow! Try to behave until then!" I waved over my shoulder as I walked away.

I could hear them shouting their goodbyes before they resumed Naruto's training.

* * *

><p>"So how's he doing?" I asked Kakashi as we watched Sasuke charge a boulder with a not quite developed chidori.<p>

"He's progressing." Kakashi answered before shouting out an instruction to Sasuke.

I nodded, acknowledging Kakashi's answer.

We watched him in silence for a while before Kakashi spoke again. "How has he been with you?"

I sighed. "He still spouts off nonsense about how we should be together nearly every night when I'm walking him home… it's becoming tiring."

"Don't let him wear you down. You have to keep opposing him. If he senses vulnerability within you, he won't let up."

"I know…" I sighed again. "But you know how dejected he can be sometimes. I don't want to make it worse by constantly arguing with him."

Kakashi sighed as well. "It is a difficult situation." It wasn't the first time he had said that. "And he has been a bit colder than usual. But that could also be due to his intense training as he prepares for his upcoming match…"

"I suppose…" I bit the inside of my cheek as I thought. "I just want him to be happy. He deserves to be happy."

Kakashi smiled down at me. "So do you."

I managed to smile, although weakly, back up at him.

He placed a hand on the back of my neck and rubbed my head soothingly. "It will all work out. The two of you have a strong bond. Something like this won't mess that up."

I closed my eyes contently and my smile strengthened. "Thank you, Kakashi."

* * *

><p>We were still preparing for the final stage of the Chunin Exams. It was difficult because we also had to prepare for an attack… one which we expected, but did not know where it would come from. We also had the Orochimaru situation to deal with.<p>

Anko had been very shaken up by his appearance, and I could understand why. She had a history with him… I hoped that she would be able to handle everything going on. As someone who had also been abandoned, I could relate to her feelings… Though I loved the person that I had been abandoned by, she had been a student of Orochimaru's. And he had left her behind. It had to have been traumatizing for her. I wondered if she would be able to handle a confrontation with him… just as I had wondered the same about myself and Itachi on many occasions.

I was on my way to an alert that had been sent out, and I had an odd feeling about it. I knew that it couldn't be anything good, and of course that worried me. When I reached the scene, I felt my stomach leap into my throat. I quickly swallowed and regained my composure, turning my face into a mask of blankness. Hayate had been killed. Who could have done such a thing? Yugao… she was in love with him. What was she doing here? She shouldn't have to see this. I quickly launched an investigation. I didn't want to hurt her pride, so I didn't send her away, but I didn't ask her to stay either. Her eyes were hidden by her Anbu mask, so I couldn't read how she was handling the situation. I discerned that she had been the one to find him. I couldn't even begin to imagine how she must be feeling. I discreetly brushed my hand against her shoulder, signaling that she was free to go. She subtly nodded her head, she wanted to stay. I nodded back, letting her know that she was allowed to do as she wished. I gave the remaining Anbu their orders. Yugao remained with Hayate's body, even as it was taken to the intelligence department. I sighed. Losing Hayate was indeed a striking blow. And there were no traces of the culprit. My jaw clenched in anger, not enough for anyone to notice. Now was not the time for emotions… but I was furious. Hayate was loved. He was kind. He was a Leaf Shinobi. How dare anyone take his life?! Especially when he walked the streets of his very own village…

* * *

><p><strong>Yep, Sasuke is still at it. He sure can be pretty stubborn and demanding…<strong>

**The next chapter is the final stage of the Chunin Exams… which we know leads to the Konoha Crush! How do you think Aihime will handle the situation? 5 points if you can figure it out :)**

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><p><strong>See For, I'm sure if he wasn't busy with his training that he would definitely be trying to keep her away from Kakashi, lol. But yes, he is definitely unpredictable and stubborn! Thanks for the review :)<strong>

**LostLonelyLies, I had already written the chapter, but I went back and added some more Naruto, just for you :) I hope that you enjoyed it!**

**To'M'L Kuran, your answer was eerily accurate… lol. Thanks for reviewing :)**


	10. Chapter 10: The Final Stage

**5 points to LostLonelyLies and See For, 3 points to To'M'L Kuran :D**

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><p>Chapter 10: The Final Stage<p>

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><p>I had just left a meeting with Lord Third, Shikaku, and Genma where we had talked well into the night about different strategies. I hadn't sought the company of anyone for a while, since all of the work that I had to do for the Chunin Exams had kept me so busy. I had stayed with Kakashi a few times, though only when it was convenient. But Genma had insisted on walking me home, since Hayate's death was still a mystery to us. I wasn't sure if he had an ulterior motive or not, but either way, I was glad that I wasn't alone. My thoughts were swarming with darkness, and I just didn't want to be left with them right now.<p>

Genma sighed, his breath carrying into the dark night air. "This sure has become one hell of a mess, hasn't it?"

I nodded, agreeing with him. "I guess simple, smooth Chunin Exams are just too much to ask for, these days."

He chuckled dryly. "And now we've really got our work cut out for us."

I plastered on a small smile. "I hope that you're ready."

He leaned down and smirked at me. "As always, I'm ready for anything."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Of course. I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

He grinned before removing his senbon and planting a kiss on my lips as he pulled me closer with a hand on my waist. "I've got to be, with you around. You taught me to stay on my toes." He winked at me.

I laughed softly. "Yes… one of the many things you've learned from me, I think." I winked back at him.

He growled seductively beneath his breath before sweeping me up into another kiss. "I think I've taught you a thing or two as well, ya know."

I giggled up at him before pulling away and walking ahead of him, teasingly swaying my hips.

He was quick to catch up. "At the very least, I know that you'll have my back, right?" He asked as he recaptured my waist with his arm.

I smiled up at him. "Of course, I will. I always do."

He grinned, satisfied, and nodded his head. "Then I've got nothing to worry about."

Not long after, we were locked in another kiss as he was pushing me through my front door.

Needless to say, I was grateful that he walked me home… He was an amazing distraction. And with all of the chaos going on right now, I could definitely use a distraction.

* * *

><p>Soon enough, it was time for the finals. I sat at Lord Third's side, ready for danger. I had ninja on posts throughout the stadium, alert and watching for any sign of an attack. Our walls were also guarded, but we expected the invasion to begin from the inside. Genma had taken Hayate's place as the proctor for this stage, reminding me that I was short one jonin. But Shikaku had come up with an excellent defensive strategy, so all I had to do was direct our forces as needed. I only hoped that things would go as easily as planned.<p>

I watched Naruto's battle against Neji with enthusiasm, struggling not to cheer out loud for him… it would be considered unprofessional of me. Neji had the unfortunate fate of being born into the second branch of the Hyuga clan, which was a family of unfair and biased beliefs. I pitied him. His ideals of destiny had been forced on him from a young age. But Naruto was not amused at all. Naruto lectured him about how he could choose his own path as he fought his hardest against him. I swelled with pride. I was ecstatic when he won. Lord Third watched me trying to contain my excitement with an indulgent smile on his face. Naruto was inspiring, in spite of his troubled past, and I admired him for that.

Sasuke had chosen to arrive "fashionably late." He was lucky that Lord Third decided to postpone his match against Gaara of the Sand. Shikamaru's match was very entertaining. His strategies were always ahead of his opponent's. He was so much like his father in that way. But, unlike his father, he was lazy. I couldn't keep myself from laughing out loud when he quit the match, saying that he was "low on chakra." I knew him well enough to know that it was only because he didn't want to keep fighting.

Sasuke made a grand entrance with Kakashi, causing the entire stadium to come to life in a cheering uproar. I couldn't help but cheer aloud, hoping that no one would think it childish of me. And then, finally, Sasuke's match started, and I was amazed by the progress that he had made in only one month. He was so fast that Gaara was unable to keep up with him. He used the chidori with precision and power, inflicting a decent injury on his opponent. I beamed with pride. Sure, our relationship had been somewhat rocky lately, what with him trying to woo me or whatever, but he was still my ward and I loved him. We had been able to still spend time together, though sometimes it was weird when he started with his persisting rants. I had to shut him down more than once, but within the next day each encounter was always forgotten by the both of us, allowing things to return to a somewhat normal state. I watched the match in awe of the person he had become.

It ended abruptly, however, when a smoke bomb was set off next to the Kages. I immediately jumped to my feet, ready to defend Lord Third. We were prepared for this, but still not knowing who was attacking was a crippling disadvantage. I overcame the genjustu and watched everyone with suspicious eyes. Our enemy was made clear when Orochimaru appeared from the guise of Kazekage. From the corner of my eye I saw Sasuke running after the sand genin… I would have to thank Genma for sending him away. He knew that I didn't want him anywhere near Orochimaru. Sound ninja poured in from all sides, engaging the leaf ninja in battles all over the stadium. I kept most of my focus on Orochimaru, defending Lord Third.

Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Well, aren't you a pretty little thing…"

I narrowed my eyes into a heated glare, refusing to answer.

"Aihime." Lord Third spoke from behind me. His voice held power. "Let me deal with Orochimaru."

I didn't want Lord Third to fight him alone, but I was a loyal ninja to my Kage. I shifted my eyes to look at him, begging him without words to let me help him. He shook his head in response, and reluctantly I stepped aside.

"What an obedient little pet you have…" Orochimaru's voice slithered at Lord Third before he followed me with his gaze. "Aihime, hm? Are you the same little girl that flitted carelessly about the village with the Uchiha boy?"

"She is not a pet." Lord Third broke through, his voice stern. "She is the epitome of loyalty. Something which you are clearly lacking."

Orochimaru chuckled again. "You sound so proud of her… almost fatherly."

"I am proud of her. She is a loving daughter." Lord Third held his head high as he spoke of me.

I was worried for him, but at the same time I was so happy to hear him say that. I loved my Kage.

"Aihime." His voice was directed at me again. "Keep everyone from interfering in my fight." I received the undertone, he meant for me not to interfere, either. "Help your comrades with this intrusion."

I nodded. "Yes, Lord Third." I didn't like it, but I would never go against his will.

I watched as they took off, Orochimaru's sound ninja sealing them in a barrier. I stayed within sight of him as I fought off the invaders. I dispatched ninja to evacuate the civilians to the Hokage Monument. I sent most of our forces to the city to fight the snakes that had broken through our walls and were leading teams of both sand and sound ninja. I defended the stadium with only a few by my side.

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><p>The battle dragged on. I had taken wave after wave of enemy, and somehow they kept coming. It seemed endless. We only had a few medical ninja here, and the forces at the walls had requested back up against the snakes. I had ordered the escort ninja to head there as soon as they were done with the evacuations, but it seemed like everything was speeding around us.<p>

Genma, who was usually my partner for situations like these, was busy… locked in an intense battle with a particular sand ninja. I kept an eye on him, ready to intervene in his battle just in case he needed any help, but he was holding his own. We caught eyes once or twice and nodded at each other reassuringly, letting the other know that we were alright, and for now that was enough.

I was trying to contact the Hokage Monument to make sure that people were arriving safely, when I was rushed by a group of sound ninja.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" Water streamed from my mouth, shooting up into a high, surging fountain before crashing down in a pressurized waterfall, washing away the enemy ninja around me.

The spray from my attack also soaked several of the other sound ninja in the stadium. One of my fellow leaf ninja used this to their advantage, quickly activating a lightning release and shocking them all into agony. They were quick to counter, though, and the battle resumed just as heavily as it had before.

But we kept fighting. We would not surrender our village so easily.

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><p>Things started looking up when I felt Jiraiya-sama's chakra as he fought off the snakes. We were successfully defending our village, though it was hard earned. I was soaring with adrenaline until I looked up at Lord Third to see him performing the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. I felt my heart fall into my stomach.<p>

"No!" I yelled, rushing to the barrier. I was unable to do anything as I watched him struggle to seal Orochimaru's soul with his own. The enemy ninja that were foolish enough to attack me in my state of agony were quickly dealt their death. I didn't even think as I slashed my kunai through their throats. I began to fight the sound ninja that held the barrier, determined to somehow save my Kage. However… it couldn't be done.

Even if I were to defeat the sound ninja holding Lord Third within the barrier… the self-sacrificing seal had already begun, and nothing could stop it now. It would not end until life had been taken. Sharp pain shot through my empty chest as the realization hit me. But still, I fought. I couldn't bring myself to stop trying. Without even a conscious thought, I was somehow able to incapacitate the four sound ninja that were holding the barrier. I didn't even feel myself wielding my weapons or performing my jutsus. It was as if I was watching the scene unfold through someone else's eyes.

I saw myself… activating my kekkei genkai… kunai dripping with blood… defeating one, two, three, then four… screaming in outrage and desperation. I was overcome with emotion… something that a ninja should never be. And I couldn't even bring myself out of it. I couldn't force the cold mask to overtake my face. I couldn't wipe my face to a blank state. I couldn't take control of the situation.

The barrier collapsed just as Lord Third was declaring that he was too old to finish this fight. I knew that there was nothing that I could do to keep him from losing his soul to the seal. I watched in horror, screaming out for him. I felt completely helpless. For the first time since that night, I felt like there was nothing that I could do.

He turned to look at me, a smile on his bleeding face. "My daughter… Aihime. You are more beautiful and intelligent than you even know. Stay strong. I leave the village to the future generations… I love you, little one." He turned back to Orochimaru, the smile still on his face, as he said his goodbyes to him, as well.

He had robbed Orochimaru of his arms, disallowing the use of future jutsu. Afterward, the sound ninja took Orochimaru and fled. I made no effort to stop them. I rushed to my Kage's side and collapsed to my knees. Tears fell freely from my eyes, and I did not hide them. Lord Third was dead.

Surely, my emotions did not matter now. I felt no shame. I felt only loss. The Third Hokage had given his life. I would mourn. And I would not hide my feelings. Not this time.

The sound ninja ran from the village, the sand ninja following soon after. Cries of victory rang through the air. We had won. We had conquered our enemies. Lord Third had saved our village… but at what cost?

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><p><strong>So she fought for the village, and then was completely upset about the Hokage. <strong>

**OMG, next time Itachi finally makes his appearance! :O How do you think Aihime will react to seeing him after all of these years? 5 points, up for grabs!**

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><p><strong>LostLonelyLies, she's gonna see Itachi soon! But it may be a while before he finds out about everything… So you'll just have to wait and see :P Thanks for reviewing! :D<strong>

**See For, yeah she was insanely devastated. So much so, that she ignored Orochimaru when he ran away. Hmmm… you may be on to something with Sasuke… lol. Thank you for reviewing :)**

**To'M'L Kuran, she was actually glad that Genma sent Sasuke away from Orochimaru, but of course she has no idea that Gaara is a Jinchuriki. We'll have to wait and see how she handles him running off after Orochimaru. Thanks for the review! :)**

**Keedda, he'll be in the next chapter. And things will heat up between them eventually ;)**

**Guest, thank you! :)**

**Bella-swan11, hmmm… I wonder what Aihime will decide to do. There's a lot for her to think about. Thank you for the review!**


	11. Chapter 11: Confrontation

**5 points to LostLonelyLies, fandomenforcer, See For, and To'M'L Kuran!**

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><p>Chapter 11: Confrontation<p>

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><p>I was a ninja. I had lost many comrades in past battles. And I had dealt with it. But this was Lord Third, our Hokage… This was different. The entire village mourned. We had to rebuild, though. There was so much work to do… I remembered Lord Third's final words to me. I had to stay strong. I had to support my village and encourage the future generation.<p>

I was with Jiraiya-sama when the elders asked him to become the next Hokage. I wasn't surprised when he refused, using the pretense that he could not defend the village if he was unable to save Lord Third. Jiraiya-sama instead suggested that Tsunade-sama become the next Hokage, even offering to go and find her if he could take Naruto along with him for training. The elders agreed.

I walked with Jiraiya-sama to go and find Naruto. "There's something that you're not telling me." I used a somber tone, discouraging him from his usual antics.

"I should have known you'd notice." He grinned at me.

"What is it?" I wanted to know.

He stopped walking and pulled me off to the side, turning me to face him. "The Akatsuki… they're targeting Naruto. I need to keep him close in order to protect him, and he'll be safer if he's outside of the village… at least until he is stronger."

My breath hitched in my throat. The Akatsuki… the criminal organization of rogue ninja… the one that Itachi had joined. I nodded at Jiraiya-sama to let him know that I understood. "I trust that you'll keep him safe."

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><p>Jiraiya-sama had departed with Naruto. I was busy helping the elders with the reconstruction and stabilization of our village. I kept Kotetsu and Izumo on a strict guard duty, implementing extra ninja to the walls in order to make sure that our vulnerable state was not taken advantage of. Genma helped me with the dispatches. I had all of the bodies of our enemies sent to the intelligence department for thorough examinations and then proper disposal. I stayed busy. Everything was going smoothly until I got a message from Kakashi. He was in the infirmary.<p>

I went to him as quickly as I could, sensing out his chakra and jumping through the window of the room that he was in. "Kakashi!" I was at his bedside before he could even blink. He seemed to be uninjured, but there was little energy left in him.

"Aihime…" His tone caught me off guard.

Kurenai and Asuma were in the room, but they left and closed the door behind them. I could still sense them in the hallway. I looked at Kakashi expectantly, waiting for him to drop whatever bomb he had in store. He patted the space beside him on the bed, gesturing for me to sit down. I complied, if only to get him to hurry up with the information.

"Akatsuki came to the village… two of them."

My jaw clenched. So they had already started their hunt?

"Itachi… he was one of them."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. "Itachi did this to you?"

His face tensed. Instead of answering me he pulled me down into his arms and began to stroke my hair.

I sighed, letting him comfort me. "What happened? Where did he go?"

"He and his partner left the village… I'm not even sure what they were after."

"It's 'who' they're after…" I leaned up and looked him in the eye. "They're looking for Naruto."

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><p>I had decided, against Kakashi's advice, to follow after the Akatsuki. I was reluctant to leave Kakashi behind, but Jiraiya-sama would not be expecting them to find him and Naruto outside of the village. I had to make sure that Naruto stayed safe. I alerted Kurenai and Asuma to my intentions and they came back into the room to talk to Kakashi as I left.<p>

I ran as fast as I could, hoping that they wouldn't make it to Naruto before I had a chance to intercept them. I was seething… he had hurt Kakashi. And now he was targeting Naruto. I couldn't let him get away with this. I arrived just in time to see Itachi confronting Naruto. Jiraiya-sama was nowhere in sight. I charged into the hallway where Itachi and his partner had cornered Naruto.

Time seemed to stand still. His eyes met mine and locked on. My heart stopped in my chest. After all of this time… Itachi was standing in front of me. More importantly, he was threatening someone that I cared about… and he had already injured someone important to me. Anger swelled inside of me, swirling with other emotions that I could not comprehend right now. And now was not the time to discern them. I swallowed to compose myself.

"Naruto." My voice was steady as I moved in front of Naruto, separating him from the Akatsuki. "Stay behind me."

He watched me carefully before shaking his head. "No way. I'm going to help you fight them." His voice was resolute.

Itachi's eyes hadn't moved from mine.

"If you want Naruto… you'll have to go through me." I drew a kunai and took a defensive stance.

Itachi's partner chuckled from behind him. I recognized him as Hoshigaki Kisame, Monster of the Hidden Mist. He stepped up and grinned at me. "What a cute little girl."

I rolled my eyes. I hated when people made fun of my height.

Itachi still hadn't spoken, but I noticed him making hand signs with his sharingan activated… I knew that it would not bode well.

"Naruto, get out of here!" I yelled at Naruto as I prepared to counter Itachi. I decided not to play around… I couldn't underestimate my opponents or give them a chance to strike. "Fire Release: Burning Ash Jutsu!" I yelled, disrupting Itachi's sharingan with a smoke that was thick enough to clog anyone's lungs. I pushed Naruto down and away, since he was being stubborn, as usual. Under normal circumstances, I would have ignited the smoke, but Naruto was still in the hallway, and I didn't want to risk injuring him. I braced myself as Itachi came ripping through the smoke, his kunai clashing against mine. I could hear his partner choking on the smoke, which was hot enough to burn from the inside out if it was inhaled.

Itachi knew not to breathe. He was able to find me through the thick smoke and now we were in a stand-off of sorts. I pushed back against him and aimed a kick for his head. He ducked, breaking our contact, and swept forward with a punch. I deflected with my arm and retaliated with a slash to his face. He leapt away in order to dodge my kunai. We continued to clash as the smoke cleared. I knew that we were both holding back, but I couldn't say why. I had no idea why I didn't fight with everything that I had in order to defeat him… And I didn't know why he would be restraining himself when he was the very same person who had ran his sword through my chest all of those years ago… after breaking my heart, of course.

The smoke was all but gone as we faced each other down, standing on opposite sides of the hall. Neither of us were injured. His partner was still trying to cough himself from suffocation. Naruto was holding his shirt over his nose and glaring at me for pushing him.

Then… Sasuke arrived…

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><p>Itachi's partner looked back and forth between everyone before asking who Sasuke was.<p>

For the first time since I had arrived, Itachi spoke, turning his back to me and watching Sasuke carefully. "He's my little brother."

Sasuke's face was outraged. He stared his brother down with cold determination. "I've lived my life just like you told me to… I've resented you. And hated you…. And now, I'm going to kill you!"

He charged Itachi with a chidori in hand, aiming for Itachi's heart. I watched in horror as Itachi grabbed him by the wrist, breaking his arm, then threw him up against the wall by his throat. I rushed to Sasuke's aid just as Jiraiya-sama finally arrived. Jiraiya-sama was stuck fighting the Monster of the Hidden Mist while I fought to defend both Sasuke and Naruto from Itachi.

I aimed a punch for Itachi's jaw, which he dodged and was forced to let go of Sasuke. Sasuke landed on his feet and took a stance beside me. Naruto flanked my other side. I sighed in exasperation. Neither of them were a match for Itachi.

"I want the two of you to leave. Head back to the village." I hoped that they would take my advice and go. Of course, neither of them did.

"No way!" Naruto answered with the same resoluteness from before. "We're staying to help you, Aihime!"

"I can't believe you came after him without me." Sasuke stated, just as resolute. "We're supposed to be in this together."

I wanted to roll my eyes. They were ninja, but they were acting like children. Knowing that there was nothing that I could do to make them go, I activated my Kekkei Genkai. I didn't like to use it in long battles, because most of the jutsus required a constant stream of chakra, but I needed to keep Sasuke and Naruto safe. "Steel Release: Impregnable Fortress!" I called out, holding out my hands to form protective, steel walls around them. I could tell from the looks on their faces that they weren't happy, but they would have to get over it. I charged Itachi by myself, hoping that I could finish him off before I ran out of chakra and my jutsu came undone.

I was using more of my strength this time. So was he. We battled with taijustu, not bothering with anything but our kunai. I landed a hit to his shoulder, planting my kunai and twisting before we separated. Blood dripped down his arm freely, but it didn't seem to affect him much. He threw a handful of shuriken and was able to land one in my hip. I dodged enough so that the wound was not too deep and landed a punch to his temple. The fight went on like this until he planted a kick to my injured hip, sending the shuriken that was still there even deeper into my flesh. I fumbled, and was taken off guard when he activated his mangekyo sharingan.

I fell into a haze of black and red. I couldn't move. Black clouds swirled around me and Itachi appeared from them. His expression was just as cold as ever. He pulled a sword from thin air and held it to my chest… the very same place that he had scarred me.

"You disappoint me, Aihime." He said my name for the first time in ages… and I cringed at the ache that it gave me. He grazed my skin with the tip of his sword.

"I could say the same of you, Itachi." I glared up at him, hidden rage burning within me.

He smirked in response before plunging his sword through my chest.

I couldn't help but scream from the pain. I knew that it was all in my head, that I was trapped in his genjutsu… but still, it hurt like hell. I fought the tears that stung in the back of my eyes. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I grit my teeth and bore through the pain, unable to overcome it. I was swimming with anger, every part of me wanting to retaliate in the most violent of ways. But the pain was just too much… Eventually, I blacked out.

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><p>When I woke up Itachi was using Amaterasu and he and his partner were escaping. No, I couldn't allow that. I wouldn't just let him run away… Without anyone noticing, I went after him. I wouldn't let them get away with this. He couldn't just attack and run.<p>

I hid my presence as I chased after them, sticking to the shadows. I followed them all the way to the bottom of a cliff. I watched as they performed some hand signs and a door appeared in the stone… it was the Akatsuki's hideout. The two of them disappeared through the door and into the cliff, the door fading away behind them.

I stayed in my hidden position and continued to watch. If anything, I could gather some intelligence before returning to the village… since confronting them here was definitely not a good idea.

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><p><strong>So Aihime actually fought against Itachi in order to protect everyone… She was definitely upset, angry, and who knows what else… <strong>

**And now Aihime is spying on the Akatsuki! Do you think she'll get any good information out of this?**

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><p><strong>LostLonelyLies, lol, she landed a couple of hits :)<strong>

**fandomenforcer, she was definitely angry, especially because he hurt people that she cared about… thanks for reviewing!**

**royalpurple153, I didn't wanna give it away last chapter since she wasn't thinking straight when she used it, but it's the Steel Style :)**

**See For, seeing him was definitely shocking for her, but I think she dealt with it pretty well, seeing as she was so angry at him for hurting Kakashi. But I wonder if she may have made a rash decision in going after him…**

**To'M'L Kuran, you put a lot of thought into that! But your definitely right about a few things… She was ready to defend the people that she cared about, but it seemed like neither of them were fighting at full strength… I wonder why he left her alive? Thank you for reviewing! :)**

**Bella-swan11, Aihime is very protective of Sasuke, and she loves him very much… but I think she may still be a little obsessed with Itachi, even though she might not want to admit it. He did break her heart, after all. And now she's gone after him. I wonder what will happen now?**


	12. Chapter 12: Captive

**5 points to See For and To'M'L Kuran :)**

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><p>Chapter 12: Captive<p>

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><p>For days I watched, until I was finally drawn into sleep, succumbing to my tiredness. My waking moment was not a pleasant one… A sharp pain tore me from my slumber.<p>

"Well, well… what do we have here?" A dark voice chuckled.

I looked up into bright, purple eyes. An eerie grin was spread across a smooth face, framed by silver hair.

"Is it a spy?" Another voice sounded from behind him.

The first man turned enough for me to see the second one. He was tall, his face hidden by a hood and mask, his eyes a strange coloring of green and red.

"I think so… She's fucking gorgeous. I'm going to keep her." The first man, the one who had stabbed and incapacitated me, declared with a smirk on his face.

I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't. How the hell had he paralyzed me? I felt so damn stupid for falling asleep and allowing this to happen. I should have just gone back to the village.

The silver haired man removed his weapon from body before slinging me over his shoulder. I couldn't do anything to stop him. He carried me into the Akatsuki base, his partner following behind.

"Hey!" He yelled as he carried me into a large sitting room. "Check out what I found!" He sounded proud of his capture.

I cursed in my head, struggling to regain control of my body. Several footsteps sounded and were followed by strange voices. I was finally able to push off of the back of my captor. "Put me the fuck down." I grumbled.

The man chuckled as he set my feet on the ground, his arms wrapped around me to hold me up and close to him. "So you've got some spunk in ya, huh, bitch?"

I glared at him, struggling in his hold. I felt woozy from blood loss, but I didn't show it. I looked around the room to see the people who had come at his yell. A strange man with a swirled mask… a man with spiky orange hair and a hell of a lot of piercings… a woman with blue hair and orange eyes… Hoshigaki Kisame… and Itachi.

Itachi was watching the scene with narrowed eyes. "Aihime." He spoke my name, his voice almost sounding strained.

The man who held me arched a brow at Itachi. "You know her?"

"Well, of course he knows her, dumbass." The man with the green eyes and mask spoke to his partner. "She's from the Leaf Village." He pointed at my headband.

Itachi looked from me to the orange haired man. The orange haired man glanced at the swirly masked man and then landed his eyes on me.

"Hidan, give her to Itachi."

I gathered that he must be the leader and Hidan was the silver haired man that held me captive.

"Hell, no!" Hidan answered. "I found her. She's mine."

What the hell kind of a situation had I gotten myself into? "Fuck off. I don't belong to anyone."

He chuckled into my ear. "Damn. I like you, bitch."

I rolled my eyes before casting a glare at their leader. "So what the hell are you going to do with me?"

His expression remained unchanging. It was hard, like stone. "Obviously, we can't let you go…" He trailed off, once again catching Itachi's eye and then landing on the tall man behind me. "Kakuzu, she's injured… you'll need to treat her wounds." So, strange eyes and mask was Kakuzu. He nodded in response before the leader continued. "Itachi, place her into a temporary genjutsu until we've sorted this out…"

Before I had a chance to argue, I was knocked out again.

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><p>I woke up in a strange bed. I looked around the room. There were no decorations, just normal bedroom furniture. I realized that I had been changed into a man's shirt… it was black and way too big for me, which allowed it to cover my body decently enough. All of my weapons and belongings were gone, including my headband. I felt the familiar stiffness of bandages around my abdomen and hip. As I was rubbing the blur from my eyes, the door opened. I looked up to meet the cold gaze of Itachi.<p>

"Aihime… you're awake."

"No thanks to you." I glared at him.

He walked over to the bed and sat down beside me. A few moments passed as he stared at me.

I broke the silence. "What did your leader decide to do with me?"

He kept my gaze as he answered. "We're going to keep you captive. Everyone has been instructed not to harm you. You'll be fine as long as you don't attack anyone."

I looked at him questioningly. Why would they decide to keep me alive? It didn't make sense…

"You're permitted to leave this room, but you are not allowed to leave the hideout." His eyes hardened as they looked at mine. "Just behave, Aihime. Don't start any fights and no one will bother you."

I narrowed my eyes at his condescending tone. "You don't have to pretend that you care, Itachi. I'm not your problem."

His eyes softened, but he quickly turned away. "If only you knew how wrong you are…"

"What do you mean by that?" I leaned forward to see his face.

"Nothing…" He left the room without another word.

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><p>Eventually I wandered out of the room. I didn't make it very far before I ran into a blonde guy in the hallway.<p>

"Oh, hey there!" He quickly turned and beamed a smile at me. "You must be the girl from the Leaf Village-un."

"Yeah…" I watched him skeptically. "The name's Kokoro Aihime."

"Aihime… that's a lovely name-un. I'm Deidara!" He took me by the arm and began leading me through the halls. "You must be starving!"

I allowed him to lead me, sensing no malice from him at the moment. He took me to a kitchen and sat me down on a barstool at the counter that faced the kitchen. I watched him as he pulled different items from the cabinets.

"I hope you like miso chicken-un!" He shouted happily as he began preparing some food.

I couldn't help but smile back at him. "Would you like some help?"

"Not at all, pretty lady." He winked at me. "Just leave it to me-un."

I grinned as I watched him. He certainly was a strange fellow.

"Deidara!" A deep voice shouted from around the corner. "You better not be burning down the fucking kitchen again!" The man named Kakuzu appeared.

"Shut the fuck up, Kakuzu!" Deidara snapped back. "Un."

I actually laughed at them. It was amazing how Deidara could go from so happy-go-lucky to irritated and snappy. Deidara ignored Kakuzu and turned to smile at me before going back to his cooking. Kakuzu waltzed into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He poured two glasses of water and actually handed me one.

"Thank you." I said, surprised.

"You're welcome." He answered simply.

I had watched him pour it, so I knew it wasn't poisoned… I wondered why he had bothered. He clearly didn't have the same type of personality that Deidara did. I shrugged and took a sip. It was nice to have some cold water after so long.

"How are your wounds?" Kakuzu asked gruffly, his strange eyes resting on me.

I tilted my head before answering. "I haven't even bothered to look."

He seemed to disapprove, but I couldn't really tell since the mask covered so much of his face. "Come and see me when you're done eating. I'll tend to them again." And then he walked off.

I stared after him, a bit wide eyed. Why the hell were these people taking care of me?

"How did you get wounded?" Deidara broke the silence.

I tried not to laugh. "I was caught spying on this hideout… that's why I'm here."

"I knew they captured you… Un. I didn't know they injured you." Deidara frowned. "Who did it?"

"I'm not sure…" I lied. I didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble, despite the fact that these people were my enemies. If at all possible, I'd like my captivity to remain smooth. I grimaced to myself, again disgusted by the fact that I had allowed myself to be captured. Damn, was I fucking stupid, or what?

"Here you go-un." Deidara set a heaping portion of miso chicken and rice in front of me before coming to sit beside me with his own plate.

My stomach actually growled as I looked at it. I blushed with my embarrassment. I hadn't realized how hungry I'd been.

Deidara chuckled. "Go ahead and eat. You've been out for a couple of days, so you must be practically dying from starvation! Un."

I forced myself to smile at him. "Thank you." A couple of days? And before that I had watched the hideout for quite a few days without food… No wonder I was hungry. I took a bite. It was delicious. I struggled not to moan in satisfaction. After a few more bites I grinned at Deidara. "It's delicious!"

He grinned back at me. "I'm glad you like it! Un."

As we were finishing our meal, a short, lumpy man entered the room. His face was hidden beneath a sugegasa and his movements were strange… there was something… off… about him.

"Deidara." His voice was raspy.

Deidara rolled his eyes at the man. "What?"

"Leader is ready to see you now." And then the strange, short man disappeared back to where he had come from.

Deidara groaned.

I didn't bother asking. I picked up his empty plate and took it over to the sink. I began to wash all of the dishes that he had used to make our meal.

"You don't have to do that-un." Deidara objected immediately.

I smiled at him. "You made the meal, I'll clean the dishes."

He gave a slight frown but nodded nonetheless. Then he sighed. "I'll see ya later, okay?"

I nodded back at him, forcing a smile. "Okay."

He seemed satisfied as he walked away.

I washed the dishes in silence, contemplating the situation that I was in and what I was going to do about it. There really wasn't much that I could do. I was in the middle of the Akatsuki hideout, for crying out loud… surrounded by enemies, some of which were stronger than me… most of them, probably. Ugh. Not to mention Itachi… the object of my worst nightmares… literally. How was I supposed to cope with this? And I had left Sasuke behind… Fucking Itachi had injured him. And I wasn't there to take care of him. I was worried about him. I sighed. At least I knew that Kakashi would look after him. Kakashi… he would be worried about me. So would Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto… we had rescued him from the Akatsuki. But how long would that last? I sighed again and reminded myself that Jiraiya-sama was with him.

"Hey, bitch!" A sharp voice broke through my senses. I turned around, putting down the pan I had just finished drying, and faced Hidan, the man who had found and injured me. He had a cocky grin on his face.

"Hey, asshole." I returned his grin.

He laughed darkly. "Dammit! I knew I liked you!" He looked me up and down, eyeing my bare legs and my curvy figure through the oversized shirt that I was wearing. "I really, really like you…"

His stare sent nervous shivers down my spine. I almost liked it… He might could make for a nice distraction… though a dangerous one. I maintained my grin. "Hmmm… well I'm not sure we're into the same things, darling. You did run a blade through me, after all."

He approached me, a predatory look in his purple eyes as he stalked over to me. He was close enough now that he towered over me, though honestly that was not a hard thing to do. "Don't pretend like you didn't enjoy it, babe."

His whisper made me a little weak in the knees. "Maybe in your dreams..." I smirked up at him.

His hand wound its way around my waist. "Oh, if only you could see the things I did to you in my dreams last night…" He leaned down so that he could whisper in my ear. "Then you would be begging for me to fuck you."

My breath hitched. I felt like vulnerable prey caught in his trap. I fell into his hard, purple gaze as he stared down at me, constantly getting closer. My heart was pumping harder with each inch that he closed between us. I felt my body reacting to him… wanting him.

"Aihime!" The moment was shattered when a voice interrupted from behind Hidan.

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><p><strong>Well, she got caught! <strong>

**And hmm, things were getting pretty intense there. So, who do you think interrupted them? 5 points if you guess correctly!**

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><p><strong>See For, I didn't want to be too repetitive or annoying, lol, but there's always points for answering my questions :) And yeah, she couldn't really get any info, until she got herself caught… and now anything that she gets is kind of useless, huh? Thanks for reviewing! :D<strong>

**To'M'L Kuran, hmmm… I think that they do… And yeah, she totally got caught. And yeah, they'll be having their chat soon enough ;) Thank you for reviewing!**

**anon, thanks for reading, but I've already written their encounter, and it totally does not end up that way… sorry! Hope you'll still enjoy it though :) Whenever I finally upload it, lol**


	13. Chapter 13: Good Company

**5 points to To'M'L Kuran, See For, and E. Blackbird! :)**

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><p>Chapter 13: Good Company<p>

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><p>Hidan leaned back and I caught sight of Itachi standing behind him, a sharp glare on his face. I blinked to try to come out of the haze that I had been caught up in. What did he want?<p>

"You're fucking interrupting, Uchiha." Hidan grumbled, his hand still on my waist.

Itachi's glare was like ice as it shot at Hidan. "Come on, Aihime." He didn't even look at me as he spoke to me.

I glared at him. "What do you want, Itachi?"

He turned his icy gaze to me. "I said 'come on.'"

"She doesn't want to fucking go with you." Hidan laughed.

I rolled my eyes. This was ridiculous. I couldn't be ordered around, captive or not. And what the fuck did he want, anyway? He probably just wanted to torment me some more… I decided to storm off, leaving them both behind me. I pried Hidan's hand off of me and brushed past him. I gave Itachi another glare as I brushed past him, as well. I wandered down the hall… But where would I go?

Kakuzu had told me to come and see him, he wanted to check on my wounds… where was he at? I looked into some open doors, careful not to appear like I was snooping, before I found him. His door was wide open. He was sitting at a desk doing some sort of paperwork. I knocked on the doorframe. He turned to face me and I realized that he wasn't wearing his mask or hood. His hair was long and a pretty color of brown. It framed a tanned face with a strong jaw and sharp features. Stitches ran along from his mouth to the edges of his face. He was quite handsome.

His strange colored eyes met mine as he spoke. "Aihime. Come in."

I obeyed, almost forgetting how irritated I was at Itachi. He gestured for me to sit down on his bed. I did so without question. He made his way over to me and pushed me to lay down, very gently. He then sat down on the edge of the bed, by my hip. He slowly grasped the hem of my shirt and pulled it up, revealing the bandages around my hips and waist. With a blush I realized that someone had even changed my underwear. He was quiet as he undid the bandages to look at the injuries underneath. I watched him work. There was something about him that put me at ease. He was comforting. Maybe it was the confidence with which he moved, or the wisdom in his eyes. Either way, I was grateful for the sense of stability. I realized that aside from the wound that Itachi had given me on my hip, I had two punctures along my waist. I looked at them questioningly.

"Hidan uses a three bladed scythe. You're lucky that he didn't hit anything vital… He can be quite careless." Kakuzu's deep voice explained my unanswered question.

I hadn't even realized that he had been watching me. He seemed so focused on his task. I wondered if he would give me some other answers…

"Why did your leader decide to have me mended and held alive? Why not just kill me?"

"You're much more valuable alive."

Well, that didn't answer much. I had been told that I wouldn't be subjected to harm, so it's not like they were planning to torture me for information… unless Itachi was lying… which wouldn't surprise me. "Do you know if there are any plans for me?"

"As of now, you're to be kept alive and safe. As long as you don't harm anyone, then no one will harm you."

That was the same thing that Itachi had said. What the hell was going on here?

Kakuzu cleaned my wounds but didn't bother redressing them. They were already healing quite nicely. "They shouldn't scar." He informed me. "They don't need to be bandaged anymore. Just keep them clean and they should be fine in a day or two."

I smiled at him as I sat up. "Thank you."

He nodded in response. After a moment he spoke again. "I noticed an old scar on your chest… It looked like it had been a pretty bad wound. It was surprisingly close to your heart. It's a wonder that it didn't kill you."

I struggled not to cringe. I kept my expression blank and forced a small smile. "Yeah… I've often wondered how I didn't die from it. It really had felt like it had pierced my heart… but, I guess I would be dead right now if it had." I casually laughed it off.

He gave a suspicious nod, watching me carefully.

I tilted my head as I wondered where to go. I could go back to the room that I had woken up in, but I wasn't sure whose it was. And I didn't fancy running into Itachi again. I didn't really want to be alone, either.

"You're welcome to stay in here." Kakuzu broke my train of thought.

Was he a mind reader? "Are you sure that you wouldn't mind?"

He actually smiled at me. It was a soft smile in contrast to his strong face. "I can gather from your expression that you don't like the thought of leaving. And I don't mind your company."

I smiled back at him. He didn't mind my company… it almost sounded like a compliment. "I'd love to stay."

He went back to his desk and resumed his paperwork. I looked around his room. It wasn't decorated, but there were more furnishings than the room I had woken up in. My eyes landed on a bookshelf and I studied it intently.

"Feel free to read whatever you like from the shelves." He spoke again.

Damn. If he wasn't a mind reader then he was insanely observant. I grinned as I made my way to it. I picked up a book and then went back to sit down on the bed. We fell into a comfortable silence as he worked and I read. We stayed like that for hours. It was nice… until a knock at the door broke the tranquility.

I looked up to see Itachi standing in the doorway. His expression was blank.

I fought the urge to groan. Why the hell couldn't he just leave me alone? Did he seriously take this much pleasure in torturing me?

"What do you need?" Kakuzu spoke to Itachi as he turned to face him.

"I was looking for Aihime." Itachi answered simply.

Kakuzu turned his attention to me before speaking to him again. "She doesn't want to see you."

I watched as Itachi's eyes narrowed. I sighed. What could he possibly want?

He ignored Kakuzu and looked back to me. "Aihime, it's late. Go back to my room and go to bed."

It had been his room that I was in? That fucking bastard… How heartless could he be?

"Aihime." Kakuzu returned Itachi's favor and ignored him to look at me. "You can stay in here tonight, if you'd like to."

I was taken aback. He was offering me a safe place to stay? Away from Itachi… But was it truly safe? I felt so exposed here… I wanted to go home. At home I had so many safe places. At home there were so many people that loved me. But here, I was surrounded by strangers, enemies, and the man of my nightmares. Why had I ever left the Leaf Village?

Kakuzu leaned over and brushed a strand of my dark purple hair behind my ear. "I know that this isn't the ideal situation, Aihime. I'm giving you another option, but you don't have to take it. Choose whatever will make you the most comfortable."

I almost wanted to ask if I could have a room of my own, but I hated the idea of being alone… especially in this place. And I doubted that there would be a room for me, anyway. I sighed. "I'd like to stay with you, Kakuzu."

He nodded before turning to Itachi and giving him a hard look.

Itachi gave us both a final glare, cold fire dancing in his eyes, before he stalked away.

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><p>I was in a warm embrace. Sometime in the night, I had cuddled into his bare chest and he had wrapped his arms around me. I had been a bit surprised to see the excessive stitching that covered his body and the strange masks on his back, but he had explained that it was part of his jutsu. I shrugged it off, knowing that it was none of my business. He hadn't made any moves on me, other than the gentle, yet firm, way that he was holding me now. His arms were snug around me and his hands were splayed on my back and uninjured hip. Even in his sleep, he was aware of my injuries. I was content. His company had been enough to keep the nightmares away.<p>

His hand moved up my back and to the side of my face, stroking my hair behind my ear. "Did you sleep well?"

I smiled. "Yes. Thank you."

We laid in silence for a while as he continued to stroke my hair. I felt so comfortable in his arms. Without a conscious thought, I began to trace the stitches on his chest with my fingertips. He didn't seem to mind. I felt him kiss the top of my head. It was a little surprising, but it fit the moment.

Maybe being stuck in this place wasn't so bad… Perhaps I could make the best of this situation. After all, Kakuzu and Deidara had been nothing but nice and pleasant. And Hidan had been fun and exciting, if not a bit intimidating. I didn't know much about the others… Except for Itachi. And Itachi was a cold, heartless bastard. But I could ignore him. There were so many other people here to distract me from him. I didn't have to be alone. I refused to feel lonely.

Call me desperate. Call me a whore. But I decided to take a chance. I leaned up and pressed my lips to Kakuzu's. His lips were soft and warm. He immediately reacted and returned the kiss. I pushed my tongue into his mouth and he pushed back until our tongues were locked in a sensual battle. His hand ran down my body and began to caress my bare thigh. His skin felt so nice and warm against mine. It wasn't long before he took charge.

He pushed me onto my back and slowly pushed my shirt up over my head, his fingers brushing my skin along the way. His mouth found its way to my breasts and he began covering them in tender, open mouthed kisses. I moaned when he nipped and sucked at my nipple. He started to finger me through my panties and it encouraged my moans. I traced his muscles downward until I reached the hem of his pants. I pushed them down so that I could massage his hard manhood. It was very large, just like the rest of him. He groaned as I ran my fingers up and down his length before grabbing on. He thrust himself into my hand as he continued to tease me. Eventually he grew bored of that and he removed the rest of our clothes, leaving us both naked. He gazed down at me, his eyes pouring over my body.

"You are so beautiful…" his whisper was gruff and soft at the same time.

He didn't waste much time before he positioned himself over me and began plunging in. His hands roamed over my body, softly gripping my curves, mindful of my wounds. I felt complete and total bliss as he touched me. I moved my body against his and my hips met him at every thrust. He was so deep inside of me that it was a wonder I was able to fit him. His body was so much larger than mine as he hovered over me… but it made me feel safe, in a way. I moaned in ecstasy as the pressure inside of me began to build. He tangled a hand in my hair while the other began to play with my clit. It sent me to a new level and I struggled to keep from screaming. I kept my hands on his chest and abs, loving the way his muscles moved beneath his skin. His lips met mine in a heated kiss and I finally exploded with the pleasure, moaning loudly into his mouth. After a few more plunges he joined me in my orgasm.

He stayed hovering over me and his strange eyes met mine as our breathing slowed. "Are you alright?" He whispered softly.

I nodded, a satisfied smile on my face. "I'm more than alright."

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><p><strong>So, yes, it was Itachi that interrupted Aihime and Hidan. It's too bad that he couldn't stop her and Kakuzu. And she doesn't even understand why he keeps stalking her around…<strong>

**What do you think Itachi will do now that she's been with Kakuzu?**

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><p><strong>To'M'L Kuran, Aihime is totally oblivious to the idea that Itachi might still care about her… so this chapter may not have gone the way you wanted it to, lol. I'm glad that you're so enthusiastic about the points :) I wish you luck! And sure, you can use it if you want to. I thought it would be a cool way to get feedback and see what people are thinking, and so far it's worked pretty well. And now that I know that you write stories, too, well, I'm gonna have to check them out :D<strong>

**See For, I like to throw some obvious ones out there every once in a while ;D lol. And he was totally pissed at Hidan… and Kakuzu… too bad Aihime can't see why! Thanks for reviewing :)**

**E. Blackbird, hmmm… was it that obvious? Haha! ;)**


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